In My Mind, I Subconsciously Dream of You
by drkdemon
Summary: Umi, with Hikaru and Fuu, went back to Cephiro to search for answers to her questions. Umi x Clef. COMPLETED.
1. Unknown Emotions

_ Hello! This is my first Magic Knight Rayearth fic. NOT that I haven't written other stuff, though. ^_^;;; So... what to say? Well, it's mostly about Umi, and her 'search' for something. Romance between this water knight comes later. You just gotta be patient. ^_^ Oh! And be open-minded when you read this. There's a couple in there that I doubt anybody's ever used before. Who knows? *shrugs* I just felt like putting them together. Have fun reading now!  
  
Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth does not belong to me. But the poem does, even though it sucks, kay?! SO NO STEAL!!! (Yeah... I forgot to put it up the first time, but I remembered this time! Yes, I did!! ^_^)_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**_Untitled_**  
  
_What is this? This emotion... wait. Pause.  
This I need to know, what is the cause  
This pain inside, this deep feeling  
It makes me cry, my soul unreeling  
  
I want the answer, to why I ask  
"What's wrong with me? What's my task?  
Why can't I be happy, and laugh with my friends?  
Didn't I say I'd be there with them, till the end?"  
  
I'll look for the truth, go on a search  
Back to the place, and kill this hurt  
I'll look for answers, and search for clues  
I'll open my heart, and my soul, too_  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter One: Unknown Emotions**  
  
Umi stared up into the night sky. It had only been about a week after they visited Cephiro again. But in a way... she felt as if more than forever has passed by. It was lonely and BORING here at school, where you can't fly, or make a stream of water burst out of your hand at a single word. It was... so... regular. Your friends don't exactly talk about the same things that you do. They don't care about creatures that are bigger than houses. They don't care about other worlds that bring happiness and smiles to her face. Well, they can't exactly care, can they? How can they when they never even heard about that stuff?  
  
And besides that, Hikaru and Fuu go to different schools than her. The only time they could visit was during weekends, and even then there's parents who want to do stuff with you.  
  
Umi used to love that stuff. She used to love being able to spend time with her parents during weekends. It used to be such a rare thing. But now... when those times come, she rather go back to Cephiro, and laugh with Hikaru, Fuu, and the rest of them. But now, those rare times are... well, rare.  
  
Umi went back into her room, and slid slowly onto her bed. It came again. This... feeling. This wasn't a good feeling. Whatever it was, it was really bothering her. It slowly happened during her adventures in Cephiro. And after her adventures, this feeling kept staying with her after it had developed. How awful. She had no clue what is was, and how it keeps coming back whenever she goes to Cephiro. She'll find out what it is sooner or later. She will...  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef sat down on a chair, and watched as the sun glistened over the radiant land.  
  
"Peaceful enough for you, Guru Clef?"  
  
Clef got up and turned around. His eyes softened. "Hello, Ferio."  
  
"Why up here all alone?"  
  
"Because that's all I can do now that all the excitement is over."  
  
Ferio stared down at the land, and suddenly, a question popped into his head. "Guru?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Have you ever fallen in love before?" he blurted.  
  
Clef's eyes widened at those words. And then, he smiled, having it reach his eyes. "Why, Ferio?"  
  
"Well... I just don't think that anybody can live their entire lives without loving anybody once. You must have been in love before... right?"  
  
Clef sighed, listening to Ferio talk.  
  
"But I am sorry, Guru, if I had offended you in any way," Ferio said hastily.  
  
Clef shook his head. "Well... once..." Clef whispered.  
  
"Do you mind telling me?"  
  
Clef shook his head once more. "I do not mind... I am just afraid that you might not want to hear about it... if you truly knew the topic of which you want me to speak of... for you have once experienced this, and the outcome was quite similar..."  
  
"I wish to hear."  
  
Clef sighed, and nodded. "Love... well, I must say, it has been CENTURIES since that feeling came to me."  
  
"How old were you?"  
  
"Just eighteen, and it lasted for one to two centuries. I never did again."  
  
"Was my sister alive then?"  
  
Clef shook his head. "You sister came two hundred years after my emotions. Before her, there was still a pillar... and her name was... Riana, though I was not there to see it when your sister became the pillar, for back then, none of us but the strongest hearts ever saw what happened during one of those... initiations..."  
  
"You were quite young, Guru. Even now, I am only about a hundred," Ferio said, and sat down on a chair, which was next to a couch that Clef sat on. "And it is now that I met Fuu..."  
  
Clef nodded. "I was young, and I was foolish. Riana had been a pillar for very long... too long... I was not even a guru back then. Nobody had ever seen the pillar's face, except for those who were connected to her personally. I, luckily, was the son of one of the closest families to her. She was all alone and had no family, for hers died when she was young.  
  
"When I first saw her, at the age of nineteen, I was awed by her beauty. She had hair the color of a sleek sword. Her green eyes shone with royal attention and so much more. You might say I fell under some sort of spell. I was so entranced that I forgot to bow. Then, somebody hit me on the head, and I snapped out of it. But even when I bowed, I could not stop looking at her face."  
  
Ferio nodded, smiling a bit. "Fuu... That was exactly how I am with her these days. I can't stop staring at her beauty and spirit."  
  
Clef nodded, and continued. "Afterwards, whenever I trained under my teacher, her face kept appearing in my head, and I'd keep messing up. My teacher saw right through me... He figured that the only way for me to understand what I was putting myself into was to go confront the pillar. I knew that if I did that, I would be rejected, for the pillar could not give up her own feelings to others. And already, I had loved the pillar for over fifty years...  
  
"And once, after I had loved her for over a century, I went to see Riana. She smiled at me with her never-ending eyes. I stuttered out part of my confession, but couldn't get the rest out. She tried to ask me what it was that I wanted to tell her, but instead, I shook my head, and ran off.  
  
"Then... one hundred years later, my teacher died, and I became the guru. That changed everything, for it was my teacher who kept me from telling Riana about how I felt. So after he died, I had nobody there to watch over me. I chose that time to confess to Riana about my love for her... I was still so young, and so very foolish.  
  
"And then I told her one day, in secret. Her hand went to her mouth in shock. I left, in fear of what she might have told me. In fear of the rejection that she would give me. Six months later, a new pillar had to be found, for Riana died. And then, your sister, Princess Emeraude became the pillar one month afterwards."  
  
Ferio listened, and had a sad look on his face, remembering his sister.  
  
"I had then vowed to never love anymore," Clef said. "I changed myself into a child's form, and swore to myself to never have your sister experience what I had to go through. The blame I had put on myself for losing one pillar. I cried so hard after I learned of Riana's death, for she did not tell me that she felt ill. In fact, I heard that when she was ill, she went all out to have it not to be heard by my ears of her sickness. It was then I knew that it must have been my fault that Riana died. I never loved again afterwards."  
  
Ferio stared at Clef as he sat back and closed his eyes, exhausted at the memories that came rushing back to him.  
  
"But it didn't work out for my sister," he whispered.  
  
"Yes," Clef replied, his eyes still closed. "Emeraude still fell in love, with Zagato, and I couldn't protect them at all from their emotions. I couldn't save Emeraude and Zagato, just as I couldn't save Riana from my own feelings..."  
  
"Have you ever planned to tell us this?" he asked.  
  
Clef shook his head. "Nobody has ever asked me, so I never exactly considered that option. But now you know, Ferio. I would truly appreciate it if you did not relate this story to anybody, unless I gave to consent to do so."  
  
Ferio nodded. "I apologize once more, Guru. I did not mean to bring up such an... uncomfortable topic for you."  
  
Clef shook his head. "I am all right. It was time to finally confide into somebody about my past. It has been too long..." Clef then opened his eyes, and stared into space. _Riana..._ he said to himself. _I'm... sorry..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi sat up on her bed. This was really... really... weird. She didn't like this feeling. Not one bit. It was a strange feeling, and it wouldn't go away.  
  
"I hate this," she mumbled.  
  
Umi then got up, and stared at the stars once more.  
  
"I..." _I'm yearning for something..._ she realized. _Something... that I just can't reach right now... No matter how hard I'm trying..._  
  
*ring! ring!*  
  
Umi jumped at the sound of the telephone ringing. She picked it up. "Hello?" she asked.  
  
"Hey, Umi! This is Hikaru!" said the jumpy and happy voice on the other line.  
  
Umi smiled to herself, glad to hear from her close friend. "What's up?"  
  
"Just wanted to let you know... that WINTER BREAK IS THREE WEEKS FROM NOW!!!!" screamed the girl.  
  
Umi winced, but laughed. "So are you saying..." she hinted.  
  
"Let's go back!" laughed Hikaru. "And this time stay MUCH longer!"  
  
"Yes," Umi said softly. "I want to do that."  
  
"So you can then?"  
  
Umi nodded. "My parents will be away this winter vacation on a business trip. I can say I'm staying with you or Fuu. They'll understand."  
  
"That's GREAT!"  
  
Umi smiled again to herself. "I'll talk with you in three weeks, Hikaru."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Umi then hung up, and sighed. _Maybe if I go back... I can find out what this feeling is... Cause not knowing is really torture for me..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef sighed as he stared out into the night sky. He then looked at his child-like form. Maybe... Just maybe... it was time for a change.  
  
"Presea," he called.  
  
Presea appeared at his side. "Yes, Guru Clef?"  
  
"What do you think... if I looked a bit more... older?"  
  
Presea smiled. "I think that it would be time."  
  
"I feel that maybe a more... adult look would be more suitable for me now?" he suggested.  
  
Presea nodded.  
  
Clef then smiled. "Now that Emeraude is gone, and Hikaru is the pillar, I doubt that I will need this form anymore. We needn't depend on the pillar to not sway her emotions away from this land. I do not need to be there to protect from her own feelings," he whispered, and getting a confused expression from Presea.  
  
"What do you mean, Guru?" she asked. "Did something happen?"  
  
Clef shook his head. "But besides that, and my being... How are you and... Eagle faring?" he asked.  
  
Presea blushed lightly. "Nobody would expect to see us together, didn't they?" she laughed unsteadily and a bit embarrassed.  
  
Clef chuckled. "Well, I, for one, am not really concerned about it. I am happy for you. Eagle is a nice and... soothing soul. He might have been able to calm you down back then when it comes to the topic of... Mokona."  
  
Presea sighed. "Mokona... I remember Mokona," she smiled softly. "I was not the only one who'd get excited when it comes to Mokona. Umi would too."  
  
Clef nodded. "Umi..." he whispered. _Magic Knights..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_Three weeks passed..._  
  
Umi packed with her an entire suitcase, and pulled it along with one hand. The other held a bag of goodies and food for the others. This would help her brooding mood. Going back to Cephiro, that is. It'd be nice to see everybody once more and it might lift her mood up a bit. Her parents didn't like the fact that during the past month, she had been really out of it. When they left, their worried expressions showed. Umi had to smile until they left to keep them from staying. And now, she was packing. Afterwards, she locked up with her keys, and placed them into her pocket.  
  
Umi got to the tower just in time, dragging her load with her. "Am I late?" she asked, smiling.  
  
Fuu and Hikaru shook their heads. "It wouldn't have made a big difference if you got here ten minutes later. They can wait," Fuu said.  
  
Umi nodded. Then, they all linked hands, holding onto their stuff. In a second, a flash of light appeared, enveloping the girls.  
  
Umi saw that this time, their landing was a bit further away. "We gonna fall again!!!" she shrieked. "And with all this luggage too!!!"  
  
Fuu sighed as they fell from the sky. "Maybe there's a way to wish for us to land STRAIGHT onto the ground next time..."  
  
Suddenly, as the three of them fell (with their luggage) they saw tiny dots. "Are they... people?!" Hikaru yelled.  
  
Fuu squinted. "YES! IT'S THEM!!!" she screamed happily.  
  
"Whoa... whoa... WHOA!!!" Umi yelled.  
  
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew up at them, and slowed down their fall. Fuu landed into Ferio's arms, as did Hikaru into Lantis'.  
  
"Great timing!" Umi yelled, landing on her feet onto the ground. "But I thought only Fuu had wind for her magic..."  
  
"I gave her magic to her, Umi. I should at least know some of it," said a voice.  
  
Umi turned around, and gasped. "Guys?" she whispered.  
  
Hikaru and Fuu stopped hugging Lantis and Ferio, and turned to see what Umi was talking about. "HUH?!?!" the two girls gasped, and ran up to Umi.  
  
"Is that... CLEF?!" Hikaru asked.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi stared at the new Clef. "How old... are you supposed to look now?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah..." Fuu agreed. "How old?"  
  
Clef smiled. "I don't know, but I am supposed to look older than I did before." (Let's just say he looks about how he looks in the OAV, all right?)  
  
"Why, though?" Hikaru asked. *The three girls just crowding and gawking at Clef.*  
  
"I... I..." Clef stuttered, backing up a bit from the girls with the hawk-like big eyes.  
  
"I think you've scared him enough, girls," Presea laughed, walking into the scene with Eagle's arm around her waist.  
  
"PRESEA!!!" Hikaru yelled, running to her and hug her.  
  
"It's been a while, Hikaru!" Persea laughed.  
  
Fuu went back to Ferio, but Umi just stood there.  
  
"It is... that bad, Umi?" Clef laughed.  
  
Umi smiled softly. "You look... fine..." she whispered. "Shall we go find our rooms, or will you lead us to them?"  
  
Clef bowed slightly. "Follow me."  
  
Umi sighed, and picked up her stuff. She didn't like this. Whatever the feeling was, it's returning. _I think I might find out this time, now that I'm here. I have a couple weeks to try..._ She then turned to Hikaru and Fuu. "Come on, guys," she smiled. "Let's go up to our rooms!"  
  
Fuu looked at Umi, and was soon walking behind Umi and Clef to go to her room. She walked alongside with Ferio.  
  
"What is wrong with Umi?" Ferio asked, showing Fuu that she wasn't the only one who thought something was up with Umi.  
  
Fuu shrugged. "I don't know, but I think she's keeping something from us."  
  
"Did you ask her?"  
  
Fuu shook her head. "She looks... closed up, for some reason."  
  
Ferio hugged Fuu closer to her. "You should really talk to her."  
  
Fuu nodded.  
  
Hikaru and Lantis walked next to them. "Hey!" she smiled.  
  
Fuu smiled back.  
  
"Where's Umi?" Hikaru asked.  
  
"In front of us," Fuu replied, pointing to her.  
  
Hikaru stared at Umi's back, and frowned. "Do you think we're being... selfish?" she finally asked.  
  
"Selfish?" Fuu repeated, and then, realized what Hikaru meant by that question. "Oh... dear..." she whispered.  
  
Hikaru slumped down a bit. "We left her all by herself, didn't we?" she mumbled.  
  
"I got so caught up in seeing Ferio again..."  
  
Lantis hugged Hikaru closer. "Yes. Maybe it would be nice for you and Hikaru to spend some more time with Umi. She must be lonely."  
  
"But we came to see you guys..." Hikaru started.  
  
"We can wait. Best friends should always come first..."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi unpacked her stuff, and sat down on the big comfy bed. She then got up and ran to Fuu's room. She smiled. "We're going to have fun here, aren't we?" she laughed to Hikaru and Fuu.  
  
They both turned around from helping Fuu organizing her stuff and smiled. "Yes!"  
  
"What shall we do first?" Fuu asked.  
  
"Well, I heard that tonight they are holding a banquet..." Hikaru said. "Shall we go?"  
  
"Wouldn't it be ill-mannered not to?" Umi smiled. "But..." she said, faltering. "I didn't really bring anything formal to wear..."  
  
"AND THAT'S WHERE I COME IN!!!!"  
  
The girls' heads jerked towards the door, and saw that another old friend arrived.  
  
"Caldina!" they said.  
  
"Well, no hugs for me?" she said, appalled. The three girls got up, and ran to her.  
  
"And what do you mean, 'that's where I come in?' " Umi asked, after the hugs.  
  
Caldina smiled at them. "We have a wardrobe to try out for tonight!" she declared. "Come on! We're gonna have fun!"  
  
Umi shifted around a bit. "I don't know..." she said. "I mean... Yeah... We should go... but... it's not like I have anybody to impress or anything."  
  
Caldina sighed. "That doesn't MATTER!" she said, exasperated. "What matters is that you should have some fun!"  
  
Umi shook her head. "I'll look ugly anyway..."  
  
"Please, Umi. You MUST come to the banquet. Besides," said Fuu. "Maybe you will find somebody there."  
  
Umi smiled at her, and shook her head. "I'm not ready to really... BE with anybody yet, guys. I mean, yeah, seeing you two with Lantis and Ferio makes me happy, but that's because they are the COOLEST! Right now... I don't wanna get into anything I'm going to regret... especially here in Cephiro," Umi said the last part quietly to herself.  
  
Hikaru and Fuu nodded, smiling. "You've matured a lot since we've come here, Umi," Fuu said.  
  
Umi shrugged. "But not mature enough to not start a PILLOW FIGHT!!!" she yelled, and threw a pillow at Fuu. Soon, Hikaru and Caldina got into it too.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Five minutes later, Clef knocked onto the door, accidentally opening it. What he saw shocked him. There was Umi, Hikaru, Fuu, and Caldina on the big bed, feathers flying all over, still engaged in a pillow fight.  
  
Umi turned her head around, and saw Clef. "Oops!" she laughed. "You know, Clef!" she yelled to him through all the shrieking. "We're gonna need new pillows tonight for Fuu!"  
  
"And a vacuum!!" Hikaru shrieked, getting hit by Fuu.  
  
"Do they know what a vacuum is?" Umi pondered, before getting hit by Caldina.  
  
Clef continued to stare at the scene. Then, his eyes softened with a smile. "Have fun, girls," he said, bowed slightly, and left.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
After all that commotion, Presea entered, raising an eyebrow at that mess. "Well..."  
  
Hikaru laughed, and threw a pillow at her. Or... what's left of it. "Come on! Have FUN!"  
  
Presea blocked the pillow from hitting her face. "Yeah, yeah!" she said. "Now come on! We got a banquet to prepare for."  
  
Fuu tilted her head to one side in confusion. "But the banquet will be at night. The sun is hardly setting yet."  
  
"Yes. Well, don't you want to find a dress to put on?"  
  
"We can do that later," Hikaru said. "Right now, I think we should clean this up..."  
  
The two girls agreed with her, and they gathered all of the feathers that they could find. After that, the five girls smiled and sat down on the bed.  
  
"I wonder what I should wear..." Caldina mumbled.  
  
Umi smiled at her. "Whatever you DO wear, I'm sure La Farga's gonna love it anyway!" The rest of the girls agreed.  
  
"Umi..." Fuu said. "You'll come too... right?" She had a dubious sound in her voice. "I mean, just for the fun of it?"  
  
Umi smiled. "I'll be there, Fuu. Don't worry. Oh... How much longer till the banquet is it now?"  
  
"About maybe a couple more hours."  
  
"Then do you want to start preparing?" Hikaru asked. "I mean, Lantis is going to be my escort."  
  
"Ferio."  
  
"Eagle."  
  
"La Farga."  
  
"I... should get somebody to, huh?" Umi asked.  
  
"You can come with us, Umi," Presea started.  
  
"NO!" Umi argued. "I shouldn't... I CAN'T be an bother. That'd make me feel so bad and all. I can go by myself."  
  
"But-" Fuu started.  
  
"No but's about it!" Umi said determinedly. "I'm am NOT going to bother any of you. Do you all have a problem with that?" she glared, looking at them.  
  
After a minute of gaping at her, the group of girls then smiled at her. "Thanks, Umi," Presea said. "You will be fine by yourself for a while. You've proven that to us. I keep forgetting how... strong you are."  
  
"And single," Fuu put in.  
  
"And loud."  
  
"Annoying."  
  
"You're right. Just a big bother," Caldina yawned.  
  
"We will most CERTAINLY do better without you tagging along."  
  
Umi smiled at them. "You all make me feel so special, you know?"  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi put on the blue dress she picked. The skirt was a bit above her knees, flowing out. The part that covered her waist acted like a belt, about five inches wide. The fabric on top part looked as if it was water, flowing gently around her sleeves, widening and closing at the end of the sleeve. The neckline was small, hardly showing any skin below her collarbone. "This is good," she smiled. "Not too revealing." Then, she put on white boots to match the outfit. All of this was provided by Caldina.  
  
Hikaru had on a long, sleek red dress. The sleeves were short, ending above her elbows. The dress flowed down, touching the floor delicately. The neckline ended one to two inches below her collarbone.  
  
Fuu's dress was a deep green, and curved around her body. It was strapless, and also ended at her feet. On the waist, there was a thin ribbon, tied behind her into a bow. She had on high heels, and was wearing contacts, instead of glasses. (I am SOOO scared of contacts!!! !!!)  
  
The three left the room, to go down to the ballroom, hearing that the music had already started. Lantis and Ferio were standing at the entrance. They saw Fuu and Hikaru come down, and their eyes widened.  
  
"You look... lovely," Ferio whispered, taking Fuu's hand and entering the ballroom.  
  
"Hi, Lantis," Hikaru smiled.  
  
"Come on," Lantis said, and held out his arm, which Hikaru took, and then they entered.  
  
Umi stood outside, and smiled at them. They looked so happy... Umi loved seeing them like this. If only this moment could last forever for them. The music was fast right now, and didn't really give Umi a chance to think. She then smiled secretly to herself, and knew where to go to sooth herself down. So instead of entering the ballroom, Umi never walked in there. Instead, she moved away from the room, and then left the castle.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Ascot was walking around the ballroom, scanning around with his eyes.  
  
"Guru Clef?" he asked, bumping into the guru.  
  
Clef turned around. "Yes, Ascot?" he asked, still holding his staff.  
  
"Have you seen Umi?"  
  
Clef shook his head. "Is she not here?""Yes. I'm just worried a bit..."  
  
"Maybe she will arrive later because there is something that she needs to tend to before she can come. Don't worry, Ascot."  
  
"But I already am..." he dragged. "I'll go look for her. She could be in trouble. She might be in danger. She-"  
  
Clef held his hand up.  
  
"You know... If I go look for her and bring her here, telling her that her friends miss her dearly, will you finally calm down? You are overreacting right now."  
  
"I think that I should go, though..." he started.  
  
Clef shook his head. "Stay here and entertain your friends. Don't worry, Ascot. I am quite sure that she is not in ANY sort of danger. I'll bring her here."  
  
Ascot shifted around a bit, clearly still worried a bit about Umi not being here. "Are you sure?" he asked slowly.  
  
"I am sure," Clef said. Then he chuckled. "You know, Ascot. You might have changed your form, but you still worry like a child."  
  
"I DO NOT!" he argued.  
  
Clef smiled and parted with Ascot, ready to go look around for Umi.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_TOLD you no romance for Umi yet. But there will be! Trust me on that! Please review now!! Thank you, and buh byes!! ^_^  
  
  
  
  
_


	2. “I Won’t Fall In Love Just Because Every...

_ Okay... Ascot fans, leave RIGHT now. I don't think you'll like what I'm going to do to him. *Nods head in agreement with self* You're going to HATE me for it. You're going to KILL me for it. You going to... Eh, you get it. Okay then... now after the warning... Happy reading! ^_^ (I doubt it, though...)  
  
Disclaimer: Rayearth doesn't belong to me. The poem does, though. So no steal! Enough said._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**_Untitled_**  
  
_Love is special, and needs to come naturally  
I won't just fall in love, with just anybody  
I won't do it because, everybody else says I should  
I won't just love for the fun of it, that I can't do  
  
I don't want to be with anybody who'll hurt and harm me  
I won't be with anybody who can't see me for me  
I want a lover who'll be with me for life and for heart  
Who won't kill my soul, and break it apart  
  
I'll wait if I have to, for eternity and on  
To have the one come, and sing the right song  
So I'll be there sitting and hoping, for the one to hold me  
To come to love me, and see me for me_  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter Two: "I Won't Fall In Love Just Because Everybody Else Did"**  
  
Umi walked down to the beach, her boots clattering on the road. The sound was muffled as she stepped into the smooth sand.  
  
Once she felt that she had walked enough along the ocean, she sat down on the sand, not bothering to care if her dress will dirty or not. What an unhappy feeling... to be lonely. But she didn't want to truly care for anybody just yet... What will happen to Hikaru and Fuu? Right now, yes, it's just all fun and games, and happy meetings... But what about when they grow old? She didn't want to take the risk of loving anybody here. It would hurt too much...  
  
Umi sighed as she listened to the ocean talk to her, its water banging against each other, causing sounds that sooth her, and motivate her.  
  
_You'll always be there for me, won't you?_ she asked. _No matter what world I am in... You'll always be there..._  
  
Umi, finding that the cold wind blowing against her a very a nice feeling, laid on the sand, and closed her eyes.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef walked to up Hikaru, who was dancing with Lantis.  
  
"Sorry to bother you, Hikaru, but do you know where Umi is? Ascot is getting worrisome," he laughed silently.  
  
"Yeah," Hikaru said. "She came with us. She should be in here somewhere."  
  
Clef stare at Hikaru in surprise. Then, catching himself, he quickly shook his head. "She is not in here. Are you sure that she came in with you?" he asked carefully.  
  
Hikaru thought about it for a minute, and shook her head. "I came in with Lantis, but she was right behind Fuu and me."  
  
Clef nodded. "I see..." he mumbled. "I think that I will look around the castle. Maybe she went to walk around."  
  
Hikaru nodded. "But please come back and give me an update. I'm gonna start worrying more soon..."  
  
Clef smiled. "Don't worry. I will find her."  
  
Hikaru grinned. "It's so weird. Now we have to look up to talk to you, Clef," she laughed. "You look great!"  
  
"Thank you," Clef smiled, and then exited the ballroom.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef had searched the entire castle. He knocked on the door to the girls' room, but no answer came. He looked into the garden, but she wasn't there either. He walked up and down the entire castle, but couldn't find Umi anywhere.  
  
"Where did she go?!" he asked himself, now sounding kind of desperate. "No wonder Ascot acted like he did..."  
  
He went through the castle once more, but to no avail could he find her.  
  
"*sigh*... Might as well try some magic. It wouldn't hurt..." he muttered, and entered the room in the center of the castle. He looked into a pool of water, his viewer, and mumbled a spell.  
  
Suddenly, the water shimmered, and an image appeared. It showed from a top point of view an ocean, the waves clashing onto the sandy beach. And next to it, there was Umi, sleeping peacefully near the water.  
  
Clef sighed, but then smiled at how content she looked. He obviously still knew nothing of the magic knights, or he would've known that Umi would have gone there. Closing the image, Clef left the room, and walked out of the castle.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_Umi smiled. She was standing on top of a cliff, which led down to a deadly death into the rocky water. The wind blew against her, causing it to look like an angelic image.  
  
"I want to stay here forever... No worries..." she said to herself. "No need to care for the outside world... No interruptions... Nothing..."  
  
Umi sat down near the edge of the cliff, still smiling.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a voice. "Free me..."  
  
Umi turned around. So much for no interruptions. She saw a girl around the age of eighteen. "Free me..." she whispered once more.  
  
"Free you? Who are you?" Umi asked.  
  
The girl walked to her. "Cephiro... is a country where will is power..." she whispered.  
  
Umi nodded. "Yes. I know that."  
  
"Power... to create... to destroy... to love... to be..."  
  
Umi nodded once more. "What does that have to do with me?"  
  
"Free me..." she whispered, with begging eyes. "Please..."  
  
"I... I don't know what to do..." she said, backing up a bit.  
  
"If you help me... you needn't be alone anymore..."  
  
"I... I'm not alone. I have Hikaru and Fuu," Umi said.  
  
"You are alone. They have people to love them. They have lovers. You, though, are alone... Free me... And you will not be alone anymore."  
  
Umi shook her head, this time angry. "I am NOT alone!" she said through clenched teeth. "I have FRIENDS, and that's all I need."  
  
"But don't you yearn for a man's touch? Somebody to kiss your tears away? Somebody to tell you that you will never have to suffer alone anymore? To be there for you forever?"  
  
Umi shook her head. "I don't need that!"  
  
"You don't need... love?"  
  
"I DO love! I love Hikaru and Fuu!"  
  
"But what about... romance?"  
  
"Romance can wait," Umi said. "I don't need to fall in love so quickly. So will you leave me alone?!"  
  
"You DO need romance. Don't you yearn for what your friends have? I can give you that. But please... You must free me..." she continued to persist.  
  
"I don't need to do anything. And I am happy for my friends. They deserve whoever they get. And if anybody hurts them, I'll pound them to the ground!" Umi said determinedly.  
  
"You can't ignore it forever. That feeling that you developed..."  
  
Umi's eyes widened. "My... feeling?" The one I've been searching answers for?!  
  
"It calls for attention."  
  
"My feeling... is NOT wanting to be LOVED!! I don't need love right now! I am strong enough to wait!" Umi said. "Why are you here?" she then asked.  
  
"I need you to free me."  
  
"Why should I?"  
  
"Because... even if you do not need love... I do."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I have been separated from my love for centuries. I need you to free me."  
  
"Does he still love you?"  
  
"Yes... I need to go back to him... I... I miss him so much..." she whispered, tears falling.  
  
Umi sighed. "I..."  
  
"Will you?"  
  
"I... Who? Who is your love? Why-"  
  
"Umi... Umi..." said another voice, interrupting hers. "Umi... wake up..."_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Umi. Wake up, Umi..." said a soft whispered.  
  
Umi stirred in her sleep. "Hnn..." she groaned.  
  
She slowly opened her eyes. "Who..." she whispered. The person stood up after seeing her eyes open.  
  
"Don't you wish to be at the banquet, Umi?"Umi sat up, and saw that it was...  
  
"Clef..." she mumbled, still a bit startled at his new look. "Oh, man... I am SO not used to seeing you so grown up. I still feel that you look like an eight-year-old. This will take some getting used to... What are you doing here?" she then asked.  
  
"To take you back to the banquet. You are worried about, you know," he said, smiling, and ignored her remarks of him as an 'eight-year-old.' He then crouched down next to her. "Come now?" he offered a hand to help her up.  
  
Umi shook her head, still a bit groggy from waking up. "I don't know... I won't have fun there. Dancing's..."  
  
"Not suitable for you?" he asked.  
  
"I..." Umi shook her head. "That's not it."  
  
"Do you need an escort?" he then asked.  
  
Umi shook her head again. "That's okay."  
  
"Well, Ascot is worried about you," he tried.  
  
Umi smiled. "Can you tell Ascot that I am okay?"  
  
"You know... he cares for you. A lot."  
  
"I know... but I can't return those feelings to him. I... everybody here are just friends to me. I can't force myself to love him, or anybody else."  
  
Clef nodded. "Well then, what should I do? People expect me to take find you and bring you back to the banquet."  
  
Umi nodded. "I'm sorry, Clef. It's just that all the girls have somebody to care for them... to love. I guess that I just felt left out. It got a bit uncomfortable for me," she admitted.  
  
"Are you lonely?"  
  
Umi shook her head, and smiled. "I have my friends. And besides, I shouldn't love somebody just because everybody else is. That's not true love. And don't tell them I said that. They'll start doing all this matchmaking business. I know they will."  
  
Clef nodded, understanding. "You know, Umi, you've grown up a lot..." he told her.  
  
"So have you," she said jokingly.  
  
Clef laughed along with her. "I thought that my child body was too... child-like. Besides... Hikaru changed everything. I do not need to stay in that form anymore."  
  
"How?" Umi asked. "Why did you in the first place?"  
  
Clef shook his head. "It is nothing."  
  
"Are you sure? It's better to tell people things, Clef. Takes a load off of your shoulders. Besides, I'm not THAT young to not understand! After all that I have been through, Umi said, her voice getting softer. "I must understand at least a BIT of it..."  
  
Clef got up, and held his hand to her once more. "Shall we take a walk along the beach? The moon is lovely," he said softly.  
  
Umi stared at Clef, and then she smiled, and took his hand. Clef pulled her up. "That'd be nice," she whispered.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Fuu and Hikaru stopped dancing to get something to drink, leaving their men to talk to other people. But even though they were having a good time, there was one member missing that was causing them great anxiety.  
  
"Clef still hasn't come back with Umi yet..." Hikaru said, talking with Fuu about it.  
  
Fuu smiled softly to Hikaru. "Ascot told us that Clef went to find her, so you must trust in Clef. He'll bring her back. I'm sure that he will be able to find her."  
  
"Yes. But..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"Don't you think that Umi's been acting a bit... weird?" Hikaru asked.  
  
"She is?"  
  
"Well, recently, she hasn't been as jumpy and loud as she used to be..." (Umi: ^^U Loud...)  
  
"She'll be okay, Hikaru," Fuu said reassuringly. "Now, I need to get back to Ferio. He's waiting."  
  
Hikaru nodded. "So is Lantis."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef walked slowly along the shore, next to Umi. "You have something on your mind," he told her. It wasn't a question.  
  
Umi looked at him, and then nodded. "I was wondering..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You've lived for over seven hundred years..."  
  
Clef nodded.  
  
"Have you ever fallen in love before?" she mused.  
  
Clef, hearing this, started to laugh.  
  
"What? What?!" she asked.  
  
"You are the second person to have asked me that recently. Might everybody's minds be more connected than I thought?" he laughed.  
  
Umi smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. I must have offended you."  
  
"No. No," Clef said hastily.  
  
"I shouldn't have asked in the first place..."  
  
"No. I said it was okay, Umi."  
  
"But..."  
  
Clef smiled at her. "I will tell you about the only time I have fallen in love, though I should warn you that it is not a pleasant story for me to tell..."  
  
"If you don't want to, you don't have to."  
  
"And then the mystery will continue to eat through you in your mind? No. I trust you to not freak out on me, though."  
  
"You got it, Clef."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Hikaru saw Ascot run by her. "ASCOT!" she yelled.  
  
Ascot stopped in his steps and turned around. "Yes, Hikaru?" he asked.  
  
"Why are you running?"  
  
"Well, it's been forever since Guru Clef left to find Umi, and he still hasn't returned. I will go in search for them. I mean, I'm sure that Umi's in trouble. And maybe Clef couldn't find her. Wouldn't that mean something bad? He should really check in with us once in a while. I don't want..." he babbled on and on.  
  
Hikaru had zoned out quite a while ago. Suddenly, she looked behind Ascot, and smiled.  
  
"You don't have to, Ascot," said a voice behind him.  
  
Ascot turned around.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi listened to Clef's entire story.  
  
"I fell in love with the previous pillar."  
  
Umi stared at him. "What?!" she whispered.  
  
"I was maybe a few years older than you, and I met her at that age..." Clef said. And a long while later, he told her the entire story.  
  
"But..." Umi whispered.  
  
"I decided to choose an older form after Hikaru became the pillar. You see, now we do not have to fear for the pillar to fall in love, or for people's emotions to sway. I decided that I did not need to keep my young form anymore."  
  
Umi nodded, and then, she smiled at him. "You'll find somebody special again one day, Clef. I know it."  
  
Clef nodded, smiling. But this time, it did not reach his eyes. "Now... we need to return to the banquet. I am quite serious about the others worrying about you."  
  
Umi nodded. "Yes. That's fine with me, going back, that is. Let's get going." Then, she looked at herself, and saw that some sand was still stuck to her. She quickly brushed herself off. "I guess I'm a mess right now..." she muttered to herself.  
  
Suddenly, to Umi's surprise, Clef held his arm out.  
  
"Huh?" she asked.  
  
"I will escort you in."  
  
"But... I don't need one..."  
  
"We are going back together anyway. Might as well, Umi," Clef said.  
  
Umi stood there for a moment longer. Then, she smiled at him, and took his arm. "Thanks, Clef." Then, the two walked back into the castle, where the festivities were being held.  
  
Umi and Clef got there just in time to see that Ascot was about to run out in search for her.  
  
"You don't have to, Ascot," she said, walking in with Clef.  
  
Ascot turned around. "UMI!" he yelled, rushing to her. "Are you okay?! Did you get hurt?! Did something happen?! Do you need rest?!" he asked, rushing all these sentences into one breath.  
  
Clef laughed. "She was fine. I found her at the beach, relaxing."  
  
Ascot nodded, and then, he stared at Umi's arm, which was linked with Clef's. Not only was he staring, but also Hikaru, Fuu, Ferio, and Lantis were as well. Clef, noticing what they were gaping at, slowly disconnected their arms. Then, he smiled at her, and bowed. "I thank you for coming, Umi, or I'm sure they all would have strangled me for thinking that I did not find you."  
  
Umi smiled back. "Thanks to you, too, Clef." Then, Clef walked off. Umi turned back to her friends. Suddenly, Hikaru ran up to Umi, and hugged her.  
  
"UMI!!!" she yelled. "We were all so WORRIED about you! I mean, you were following us and all, and then, you just disappeared on us!"  
  
Umi smiled. "I'm sorry, Hikaru. I didn't mean to worry you, all of you. I was just at the beach, relaxing and all. Next time, I'll leave a word first."  
  
Fuu nodded, and walked up to the two. "Next time, you better YELL it to us. We should have gone with Clef to find you..."  
  
Umi shook her head. "I'm sorry. It's okay that you didn't come to search for me. I totally understand."  
  
"Fuu?" Ferio asked. "Shall we return to the dance floor?"  
  
"Umm... I think that I'm tiring from all that dancing," she laughed. "How about we walk around a bit in the castle?"  
  
Ferio nodded.  
  
"I'll be back, guys," Fuu informed them, and left the banquet room.  
  
Umi watched as they left, and then, she felt a tug on her arm.  
  
"Umm... Umi?" Ascot asked. "Can I h-have this da-dance?" he stuttered.  
  
"Sure," Umi smiled, and he lead her to the dance floor.  
  
"What were you doing at the beach?" he asked her as they twirled around.  
  
"I was resting. The sound of the water sooths me," she smiled.  
  
"Ooohh..." he said. "Umm... You look... really nice tonight..." he managed.  
  
"Thanks, Ascot. And you're your usually tall self."  
  
"Haha," he laughed.  
  
"Mmhmm..." Small talk.  
  
"Umm... Umi?" he asked once more.  
  
"What is it, Ascot?"  
  
"Do... do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.  
  
"Unless somebody took me to the movies and I totally forgot about it... I really doubt that I do have one," she joked.  
  
"Movies?" he asked.  
  
"Umm... never mind."  
  
"Well, then... do you... do you... like me?" he asked.  
  
Umi sighed, knowing where this conversation was going. _Ascot... I know he likes me already. Clef was talking with me about this. I... I..._ Then, she knew what she had to do. "I'm sorry, Ascot," she whispered.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Do you really like me?" she asked.  
  
Ascot blushed. "I... yes, I do."  
  
"Well... I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us. I love you... enough to be a good friend," she whispered. "But not enough... to get into anything deep..."  
  
Ascot listened to her words, no expression on his face. Then, he smiled softly. "I knew... that I was taking a risk when I told you, Umi."  
  
"I'm really sorry, Ascot," she started.  
  
Ascot shook his head, smiling at her. "I'm glad that you were straight-forward with me. And I guess you are right. We can stay as good friends, because I'd really like that. But if you ever change your mind..." Ascot stared into her eyes. "I'll be waiting..." he whispered.  
  
Umi nodded. Then, she stopped dancing. "I think that I want to get something to drink," she said. "I totally forgot that I didn't have anything to drink since I got here..." And so, Ascot led Umi off of the dance floor.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Lantis stared at Umi. "She looks distressed," he told Hikaru.  
  
"Maybe I should go talk to her..."  
  
"No," Lantis said, holding her back. Then, he smiled softly at her. "I will. Is that okay with you?"  
  
Hikaru cocked her head to one side in confusion. "I don't see why not... I can go talk with Presea! She and Eagle look as if they are having fun," she smiled, and ran off.  
  
Lantis smiled at Hikaru's energy, and then walked to Umi. She had gone to get a drink, and Ascot was waiting for her to return.  
  
"Hello, Umi," he said.  
  
Umi, a bit startled, smiled uncertainly back at Lantis. "Hello, Lantis."  
  
"I have to apologize to you, Umi," he said.  
  
"Huh? Why?"  
  
"I have been keeping Hikaru all to myself the entire day. I guess that I felt separated from her for too long, and I yearned for her. But now... I really think that you need her and Fuu more than Ferio and I need the two of them."  
  
Umi shook her head quickly. "NO!" she replied. "Hikaru and Fuu mainly came back here for the same reason as me: to see you all once more! I don't want you to feel that they have to be obligated to be with me!"  
  
Lantis smiled at her. "How is Ascot?"  
  
"He's been great tonight," she said. "A real gentleman."  
  
"Did he ask you yet?"  
  
Umi stared at him. "He told you?" she finally asked.  
  
Lantis nodded.  
  
Umi sighed. "I... I can't force myself to love someone. He and I will remain as good friends. I didn't want to lead him on at all, because I just don't feel that way for him. I just think that he's a good friend. I'm just scared that I might've hurt him..."  
  
"I see... Well, you are right. It's wrong to lead him the wrong way. He will be fine."  
  
Umi nodded. "But why did you come here to talk to me?"  
  
"I sensed that you are depressed."  
  
"Sensed?" Umi laughed.  
  
"You're going through depression right now. Confusion."  
  
Umi strained a smile. "I..."  
  
"I've seen this before... With Eagle. What is causing you to feel this way?"  
  
"I... I think that I just have to sort some feelings out right now. That's all."  
  
Lantis nodded, knowing that this was the end of the conversation. "Remember, Umi. You're not alone."  
  
Umi nodded. "I know that. But thank you for the reminder anyway."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_*cringes away from Ascot fans* Ohh... Don't hurt me please! Well, that's chapter two. Still not really ANY romance for Umi, huh? Don't worry! We'll get there! She'll fall in love soon... Maybe... Hopefully... Gotta keep reading to find out!! ^_^ Oh, yeah! Please review! Please?_


	3. Increase of Secrecy

_Yay! I'm so glad people are starting to like this story! ^_^ Makes me quite happy! Okay, fine! Makes me very happy! This is my first Rayearth fic, and I'm so happy! *can't stop smiling* And if some characters are OOC, *shrugs* well, what do you expect? I'm not a perfect person. Enjoy now!  
  
Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth belongs to CLAMP, not me. The poem does, though._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  


**_Untitled_**  


  


_Everybody wants to define me  
As if that's an important need  
They want to see who I am  
To see the person they can  
  
But I won't let them find out  
Who I'm really about  
Who I really am inside  
All the secrets that I hide  
  
I'll tell them when I want to  
But right now's too soon  
I'll tell them when it's right  
When I'm sure I can fight the fight_  


  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter Three: Increase of Secrecy**  
  
That night, the three girls went back into their own rooms. The mess in Fuu's room was cleaned up. Umi's room was the one next to Hikaru's, which was next to Fuu's.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ Umi was standing near a cliff again, right above the deadly roaring ocean.  
  
"Please..." the voice whispered. "Free... me..."  
  
Umi turned around. It was the same lady.  
  
"Free me..."  
  
"I don't know how to..." Umi said.  
  
"Cephiro... is a land... where will is power..." she whispered.  
  
"Yes. I KNOW that. But I don't see how it can help."  
  
"Will is power."  
  
"That isn't helping me."  
  
"You need to bring me back to my love... Please..." she whispered. "It's been so long since I've tried to contact somebody..."  
  
"But... who IS he?!"  
  
"He lives in Cephiro."  
  
"That does not help me much. I need to know who he is. And... who you are..."  
  
"I... I can not tell you," she said, shifting around a bit.  
  
"Then I won't know if you are telling the truth."  
  
"I am! Please... Free me... I need to see my love once more..."  
  
"Why do I have to free you? Who's chaining you down?!"  
  
The girl shifted her eyes away, as if reminiscing of something back then that she regretted doing. Then, she spoke. "I am," she whispered.  
  
"What?! HOW?!"  
  
She then fell to the floor, crying. "I... didn't want to love him..." Suddenly, the lady held her hand in the air.  
  
A gust of wind started to blow.  
  
"What's going on?!" Umi whispered. "What are you doing?!?!" she yelled.  
  
"I shall talk with you later," she said. "Just... right now... leave..."  
  
"No! Tell me who he is!!!"  
  
"I... can't..."  
  
"TELL ME!!!" Umi shouted against the wind.  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!" she yelled.  
  
The wind picked up even more, and Umi felt herself back up. All of a sudden, she couldn't feel the ground anymore. Umi looked up, to find herself falling down from the cliff. She had been blown off.  
  
"Oh..." Umi cried. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
The scream was heard.  
  
"Umi!" Hikaru and Fuu yelled.  
  
"UMI!!!" Hikaru yelled, banging the door open.  
  
"*gasp!*" Umi woke up with a jerk. "Oh, my God..." she whispered, almost crying. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God..." _It was so... realistic!!!_  
  
"Umi!" Hikaru yelled, running up to her. "What happened?! What's wrong?!"  
  
"Did somebody attack her?!" Fuu yelled, rushing in.  
  
Umi held her face in her hands. She wasn't crying.  
  
Yet.  
  
There was actually no reason to cry, because...  
  
"I only had a nightmare, Hikaru," she said behind her hands. Then, she faced Hikaru and Fuu. "I guess that I freaked out a bit. I'm sorry," she whispered.  
  
"Umi!" Ascot yelled, rushing in. "What happened?!"  
  
Fuu turned around. "Nothing. It was a nightmare. Don't worry."  
  
Suddenly, Clef appeared, holding his staff as usual. "I heard the scream. I assume that it was from here," he said calmly. "Since everybody is gathered around here anyway." Clef stared around, and his eyes landed on Umi. "So... what is wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing, Clef," Umi said.  
  
"It was a VERY LOUD scream!" Hikaru argued.  
  
"Are you SURE that it was nothing? Was it a burglar or something?" Fuu asked, worried. "Somebody tried to attack you?"  
  
"It was only a nightmare!" Umi argued, getting a bit embarrassed about it. _One that I had for two times already..._ she said secretly to herself.  
  
"Do you want me to see what it is, Umi?" Clef asked.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" Ascot asked.  
  
Umi nodded. "I am fine, Ascot. And I don't need to have it seen, Clef, but thank you anyway."  
  
Clef then suggested something to her. "I think that I will go make you a potion. Is that okay?"  
  
Umi nodded, and smiled uncertainly. "Yes. That would be great."  
  
Clef then walked out. "I will be back in a minute."  
  
"We'll stay until he brings the potion up," Hikaru said, and Fuu nodded.  
  
Fuu turned to Ascot. "You should go get some sleep, Ascot," she told him.  
  
Ascot took one last look at Umi, and nodded hesitantly. "Okay... But call me if there's trouble," he told them, and left.  
  
Hikaru stared at Umi. She kneeled on the floor next to Umi's bed. "What was your dream about?" she asked.  
  
Umi shook her head. "It was nothing. I'm fine, Hikaru. Just need to get some rest, that's all. Besides, we shouldn't let a nightmare get the best of our vacation! We've only been here one day!"  
  
"But Umi," Fuu said. "You have been acting really weird. Is something wrong?"  
  
Umi took in a breath. "I... I'm kind of confused about something..." she finally admitted.  
  
"What is it? You can tell us."  
  
Umi was silent for a while.  
  
"Why won't you tell us, Umi? We're your friends. We're here for you. And you know that. Whatever it is, we can help you get through it," Hikaru said.  
  
Finally, Umi nodded. "There's something wrong with me," she said in a low voice. "There... There's this weird feeling... It came to me during our time here in Cephiro. And as the time passed, it stayed with me, and grew. Only now it's been affecting me a little bit more."  
  
"What kind of a feeling?" Hikaru asked.  
  
Umi shook her head. "That's the problem. I don't know what this feeling is. It's just here in me, and it's been affecting me a bit."  
  
"Then you should let me examine it," said a voice.  
  
Umi looked up, and Hikaru and Fuu turned around. Clef was standing there, holding a goblet, most likely the potion.  
  
"No," Umi shook her head. "I'll be fine."  
  
"You two should sleep. I need to wait for Umi to finish the potion," Clef told them. Fuu and Hikaru nodded.  
  
"Please be careful..." Hikaru whispered.  
  
Umi smiled and nodded. "When am I not?"  
  
After they left, Clef entered the room, and handed the goblet to Umi. "You shouldn't keep things to yourself, Umi," he said, sitting down next to her.  
  
Umi took a sip of the potion. "I wasn't keeping it to myself, per say," she said. "I... just didn't think that it was really that important."  
  
"It is important. At least, Fuu and Hikaru think it is when their friend is not exactly acting like her usual... happy self," he hinted.  
  
"I didn't mean to..." she whispered.  
  
Clef stared at her. "I know you didn't. Are you sure that you do not want me to look into it?"  
  
Umi drank some more of her potion. She then nodded. "I'm sure."  
  
"Okay then," he said. "But Hikaru is right. Be careful. We don't want any harm to come to you, Umi."  
  
Umi nodded again. "Thanks, Clef," she said, giving him back the goblet. "I'm..." she then yawned. "Thanks again, Clef," she mumbled, turning in.  
  
Clef nodded, and got up. "Sleep well, Umi," he whispered, and left, closing the door after him.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
The next day, Umi woke up, and saw that the sun was shining from her large window. She smiled and got up. The potion that Clef gave her caused her to have a dreamless sleep afterwards, which was lovely, of course.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door, and went to open it.  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"Good morning!" yelled Presea. "You hungry?! Let's go eat! Come on! What are you waiting for?!" she said in one breath.  
  
Umi laughed. "Cause I just got up. And need to put some proper clothes on." Umi said, and Presea looked at the long t-shirt and shorts she wore to sleep.  
  
"Oh, yeah!" Presea said, as if noticing for the first time. "Okay, then. We'll be waiting for you to come down. Very peculiar clothes from your world, Umi," she said as an afterthought. Umi nodded and closed her door.  
  
She then looked through her clothes, and came up with a nice pair of jeans and another t-shirt. She then ran downstairs to where everybody was gathered, around a long, oval table, eating breakfast. "Good morning," she said happily.  
  
"Hey! You're here!" Hikaru said happily.  
  
"Yes, I am.""Are you hungry?" Fuu asked, smiling.  
  
Umi nodded, walking to the big table. "Well, I had a better sleep than I thought that I-" Suddenly, Umi felt a sharp pain shoot through her head. "AH!" she yelled, and clutched her head and fell to the floor. "AHHH!!!" _NO!_ she gasped. _Not now!!! Not so quickly!!!_  
  
"Umi?!" Fuu asked, getting up. "Umi, are you okay?!"  
  
"UMI!!!" Hikaru yelled.  
  
"What happened..."  
  
"...saw her..."  
  
"...holding onto her head..."  
  
"Is she okay..."  
  
"...something..."  
  
"AAHHH!!!" Umi yelled, as the clutter of words increased her pain. "I... I... AH!!!" Umi then collapsed onto the floor, blacking out.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ "I'm sorry..."  
  
Umi turned around. "What?!"  
  
"I didn't mean to yell for you to go away..." she said. It was the same girl again.  
  
"It's you again..." she muttered. Then, she stared at the scenery around her, and realized that she was back on the cliff. Then, she remembered her previous dream. "You... You blew me off this cliff!!"  
  
The girl winced at Umi's loud and powerful voice. "I'm sorry," she said. "That reaction was unnecessary, I know."  
  
"Who ARE you?!"  
  
"I... I can't tell you..."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"If you free me, then I can tell you."  
  
"But... do you want me to WILL you back to life?!"  
  
"..."  
  
"I can't do that! You can't bring somebody back to life!"  
  
After a short period of time, the girl whispered, "I'm not dead..."  
  
"WHAT?!" Umi yelled. "But..."  
  
"I'm not dead."  
  
"I heard you. Then... what do you want me to do?"  
  
"You have strong feelings. Almost as strong as the new pillar..."  
  
Umi backed up a bit. "How... how do you know about the new pillar?! How did you hear about it?!"  
  
"I heard about it from you."  
  
Umi pointed to herself. "Me...?" she whispered.  
  
"You have told me much. About your adventures. Emeraude. Zagato. And your will to not love anybody here in Cephiro, for fear that you might get hurt from it."  
  
"I... I never told you ANYTHING!" Umi yelled frantically. "Get away from my THOUGHTS!!! It's not right to read one's mind!"  
  
The girl winced once more. "I... I'm sorry..."  
  
Umi had a hard time breathing. "If I free you and let you go back to your love, then will you stay away from my thoughts?"  
  
The girl nodded. "Your secrets are your own."  
  
"Stay away from them from now on."  
  
"I apologize."  
  
Umi nodded. "I wish you'd tell me who you are. And who your love is."  
  
"I... I can't..."  
  
"I know. Do you think that he still loves you? Even after all these centuries?"  
  
The girl's eyes flashed wildly. "What are you trying to say?" she whispered deadly. "Is there something you are trying to say?!"  
  
Umi shook her head hastily. "No! I mean... I meant... I..."  
  
Suddenly, the girl's expression turned tragic again. "Can you leave me be for a while once more?" she whispered. "Come back to me later, and we shall talk again."  
  
"But... wait!" Umi yelled, running to the girl. But all of a sudden, her images started to melt. The cliff was melting, leaving an empty and dark view in its place. Soon, Umi was standing all alone in total darkness.  
  
"I... please... It's too dark..." Umi cried softly. "Let me go! Let me out of here!!!!" she yelled. "HELLLP!!!!"  
  
"Umi..." whispered a voice._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Oh!" Umi gasped, and her eyes widened in realization. _Day two... same dream three times..._ she thought to herself. "What's happening to me?!" she whispered.  
  
"Umi..." said a soft voice.  
  
Umi looked around. She was back in her room, and in her bed. She shifted to see who the voice belonged to, and saw Clef sitting down next to her. And standing behind him were Hikaru, Fuu, Ferio, and Ascot.  
  
"Hi... everybody..." she whispered.  
  
"Umi... You better tell us what's going on..." Fuu said, staring intensely at her. "I think it's time that you stopped keeping everything inside of you."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Umi..." Hikaru said, and looked as if she was on the verge of tears. "What's going on?"  
  
Umi buried herself back into her blanket, and shifted her head away, not wanting to see their worried and hurt faces.  
  
"I think maybe I should talk to her again," Clef said, turning to look at them. "You all should go have fun. That is why you came back to Cephiro, isn't it?"  
  
Fuu and Hikaru shifted around a bit. "Umi is our friend, and we will stay next to her," Fuu then said.  
  
Clef smiled. "I will not hurt her, and she will be safe here."  
  
Umi still didn't turn back around, but she heard the shuffling of feet walking away from the bed.  
  
"Come on, Umi," she finally heard Clef say. "Turn around. They've all left."  
  
Umi stayed where she was.  
  
"Do you want me to force you to open your mind for me to see?" he asked, inquiring. "Cause I can."  
  
Umi shook her head. "You said that if we use our magic in unnecessary times, then it'll bounce right back at us," she said, opening her mouth for the first time. "And I don't think that this is really a necessary thing."  
  
"You know, Umi..." he said, now ignoring their previous topic. "You are even harder to deal with right now than the first time I met you," he smiled, exasperated, with an amused tone mixed in. "Do you remember when we first met? You kept jumping to conclusions, picking on me about my... height, and then would even argue BACK to me, which was something nobody really DARED to do to me. But you did. You were impatient. You had no respect for me at all. You got injured so EASILY in your first battle. You were impulsive. You-"  
  
Umi turned around, and sat up. "NOW THAT'S ENOUGH!" she yelled, glaring at him. "MAYBE I HAVE REASONS FOR DOING THAT! GEEZ!!! YOU MAY HAVE GROWN TO LOOK OLDER, BUT YOU OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T HAVE YOUR PERSONALITY GROW WITH IT! I-" Umi gasped, and covered her mouth with her hands. She stared at Clef, who had an eyebrow raised, and a smile on his face. She then glared at him some more. "Oh, shut up."  
  
Clef stared at her. He waved his hands in the air, as if saying, 'I didn't say anything!'  
  
"I said shut up!" she argued.  
  
Then, the smile on Clef's face grew, and he started to laugh.  
  
Umi sulked, sitting back a bit, still glaring at the laughing guru. She then crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmph!" she huffed.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Hikaru blinked. She was walking to her room when she heard a funny noise come from Umi's room. What she saw was not exactly something she'd ever picture. Umi was sitting on her bed, arms crossed, grumbling to herself and glaring at Clef. And no wonder, too. Clef was laughing. Not the loud, hyper laugh, but just... laughing.  
  
_Umm... okay. THAT'S interesting..._ she thought to herself.  
  
"I said shut up!" Umi whined at him, thought she didn't look that serious, either. And when she yelled, it seemed as if the guru did not even hear her, because he just continued to laugh.  
  
Hikaru's eyes widened. And Umi! She had YELLED at Clef! She had never shown that personality since she got back here... And now she was acting a bit like her old self again!  
  
"HIYAA!" Umi yelled.  
  
Hikaru gasped. Umi had just thrown a pillow at Clef, straight at his face. _Oh... my God..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef had stopped laughing, and he just stared straight at Umi with a shocked look on his face.  
  
Now, it was Umi would smiled. "I _told_ you to be quiet," she finally said, trying to stifle a giggle from coming out of her.  
  
"You did not just do that," Clef whispered.  
  
Umi nodded. "I did! Do you have a problem with that?"  
  
Clef picked up the pillow. Umi braced herself. But to her surprise, Clef gently put the pillow down onto her bed, and slowly left the room.  
  
"C... Clef?" Umi whispered. _What happened?! I thought we were joking around!_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Hikaru quickly ducked away from Clef, making sure that he couldn't see her or hear her.  
  
After making sure that Clef was far enough away, Hikaru peeked into Umi's room, and saw that she was still staring at the door.  
  
"Um... Umi?" Hikaru asked, and stood in front of the door.  
  
Umi snapped out of her troubled thoughts, seeing that Hikaru was there. "Oh! Hi, Hikaru. Umm... sorry that I didn't want to talk at first..."  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "It's okay," she told her. "I saw Clef leave. Did he do anything to you? Did he help you with what's going on? Or did you not let him help you at all?"  
  
Umi looked at Hikaru with a worried face. "I think Clef is mad at me," she said.  
  
"Why?" Hikaru didn't want to let her friend know that she saw what happened, in case she'd get angry.  
  
"I threw a pillow at him," she laughed nervously.  
  
"You... did what?"  
  
"I thought that he was joking around. Guess he's too old to fool around..." Umi sighed. "Old geezer..." she muttered.  
  
Hikaru smiled at Umi. "He'll be okay. He's probably just a bit shocked."  
  
Umi nodded. "I can get up now. I think I've slept enough. I'm sorry again, Hikaru. Our vacation's getting off onto a bad start..."  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "It's okay, Umi. Come on. Let's go play. But... are you sure you should call Clef an old geezer?"  
  
Umi smiled at her. "If he's going to act like one, might as well call him one," she told Hikaru, and got off her bed. "But besides that... I'm kind of hungry! Let's go get me something to eat!"  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Ferio was walking around the halls of the castle. Suddenly, he saw Clef staggering along.  
  
"Guru?" he asked.  
  
Clef turned around. "Oh! Ferio. I didn't see you."  
  
"What's wrong, Guru Clef?" Ferio asked.  
  
"N-nothing. I am a bit shocked, though..." he laughed nervously.  
  
"About what?"  
  
Clef shook his head. "Never mind. What are you doing wandering around, Ferio?" he asked instead. "Where is Fuu?"  
  
"Caldina asked for her to go to her room and help her choose an outfit," Ferio smiled. "You know, playing dress-up and all that."  
  
"Shall we go see them?" Clef asked.  
  
Ferio nodded. "I'd like to do that."  
  
The two silently walked down the hall to Caldina's room, where the door was locked. Ferio knocked on it, and Fuu opened the door, peeking out. "Yes?" she asked.  
  
"How is Caldina doing?"  
  
"Well... we're still helping her choose," Fuu said apologetically.  
  
" 'We?' Who else?"  
  
"Presea."  
  
"Ooohh... so you are going to take longer?" Ferio asked. Fuu nodded.  
  
"Oh!" she suddenly said. "If you see Hikaru, tell her to come here. And... how is Umi doing?" Fuu asked, looking worried.  
  
"Umm... I have no clue." Ferio turned to Clef. "How is Umi doing?" he asked.  
  
Clef shifted around a bit. "She... should be okay..."  
  
"Well, if she's awake," Fuu said. "Tell her to come here. We should try to relieve some stress from her. Is that okay?"  
  
Ferio nodded.  
  
"Is there anything happening today?" Fuu asked. "Like any events or anything?"  
  
"I doubt it," Ferio said.  
  
"Okay then. I'll see you later Ferio, Clef."  
  
The two nodded, and Fuu closed the door.  
  
"Well, then... what shall we do now?" Clef asked.  
  
"Let's go find Hikaru," Ferio suggested.  
  
"Okay then."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi then slapped her head in frustration. "I had food in my suitcase! Let's go back up!" Umi said, and dragged Hikaru back up to her room.  
  
She then rummaged through her stuff and Hikaru waited. "Here! Catch!" Umi said.  
  
Hikaru looked at what she caught in her hand. "EEee!!! A rice cake!" she smiled happily.  
  
Umi took out a cupcake, and bit into it. "I should give some of these to people," she said as she ate. "That's why I brought them."  
  
"I'm sure Presea would love it!" Hikaru said happily. "She liked the candy that I gave her. She'll love these treats for sure."  
  
Umi laughed along with Hikaru. "Hey! Later, why don't we go check out the ocean? The beach?" Hikaru asked. "I never got to see it, really."  
  
Umi nodded. "I know where the beach is. I LOVE it here. We'll go later. And if we can't do it today, we'll do it tomorrow!"  
  
Hikaru finished her rice cake, and then sat down on Umi's bed. "Umi?" she then asked.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you think we'll be friends forever?"  
  
Umi turned around, and smiled at Hikaru. "Yes. We'll always be friends."  
  
"And keep coming back to Cephiro?"  
  
Umi's smile wavered a bit at that question. _Cephiro... Come back... forever? Keep coming back? What about when I grow older? Will I be able to? To come and see Presea again? Caldina? La Farga? Ascot? Ferio? Everybody...? Clef?_  
  
"Umi?"  
  
Hikaru's voice snapped Umi out of her thoughts.  
  
"Will we?" she asked earnestly.  
  
Umi smiled and sat down next to Hikaru and hugged her close. "Of course we will. You are the pillar, Hikaru. And Fuu and I find comfort here. We'll keep coming back, of course."  
  
Hikaru smiled. "That's good."  
  
Umi sighed. _Hikaru... she acts as if she doesn't want to think about the future, and is looking for comfort from me. I can't look weak. I'll stay strong... for me. And mostly for my friends. If I go weak, then they can't depend on me. And... I won't be able to stand that. I'll be strong. I have to be._  
  
"Now... where's Fuu?" Umi asked.  
  
"She went to Caldina's room. They're just trying out outfits. You wanna come with me to see them?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Hikaru! Hikaru!" yelled a voice outside.  
  
"That sounds like Ferio..." Umi said, and got up. And sure enough, there was Ferio. And with him... was Clef. _Oh no... he must really still be mad at me..._  
  
"I think Hikaru might be in her room..." Ferio was saying.  
  
"Ferio!" Umi yelled. Ferio stared ahead, and saw that Umi was standing outside of her room.  
  
"Umi! Are you better?" he asked, worried. "Fuu is anxious about you. Are you well?" he kept asking.  
  
Umi nodded. "Yes. And Hikaru's in my room. We were just eating some stuff. Why are you looking for her?"  
  
Ferio smiled. "Actually, I was looking for you and Hikaru. Fuu wants you two to go to Caldina's room."  
  
"How funny," Umi laughed. "We were just going to go down there." Then, Umi turned to Clef.  
  
"..." Clef was silent.  
  
Umi walked to him, and, surprisingly, bowed. "I'm sorry for throwing the pillow at you, Clef. I thought we were just joking around."  
  
Clef stared at Umi, his eyes widening. "What..."  
  
"Look," she glared at him, standing straight back up. "You BETTER accept my apology, because I ain't making another one! YOU were the one who started laughing! I threw a pillow at you to shut you up! NOW ACCEPT IT!!!" she said.  
  
Ferio sweatdropped. _That doesn't really sound like an apology to me... ^_^U_  
  
Clef continued to stare at Umi, and then, he smiled softly. "I accept it, Umi," he finally said.  
  
"Good," Umi sniffed. "Cause I don't like it when people are mad at me."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ Yeah... Hi. Please review? Reviews will make me very happy! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can!! OH! And if you want me to keep you all updated, tell me! Jaa!_


	4. Reunion

_ Yay! Chapter four!!! ^^ I'm such a bad writer... Can't believe people actually like this. But I'm glad!  
  
Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth belongs to CLAMP. Not me. This sucky poem does, though. So no steal (I doubt anybody will, though...)_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**_Untitled_**  
  
Hold my hand and come with me  
I'll show you things you'll want to see  
You'll find me with you from now on  
This I promise you, I won't do you wrong  
  
Let me show you things, faces anew  
People you know, I'll show you a few  
Your friends from the past, are with you now  
This I can make it be, I'll show you how  
  
Here we are, together once more  
To be happy with, love and galore  
So we stick together, hand in hand  
We'll fight together, and form a band  


  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter Four: Reunion**  
  
Umi and Hikaru were about to leave when Umi felt somebody grab a hold of her arm. She turned around. "What is it, Clef?" she asked.  
  
Ferio and Hikaru had already walked down the hall, leaving the two to talk.  
  
"I just wanted to tell you that I... I wasn't angry at you. I was just a bit surprised, Umi. So I, too, apologize for walking out, and giving you mixed ideas."  
  
Umi smiled and nodded. "Is that all?" she asked. "You weren't mad at me?" she asked happily.  
  
"Yes. I hope that you can forgive me for that," he told her.  
  
"It's no big deal, Clef. Okay then. I'm just glad that you weren't mad at me. I gotta go to Caldina's now. See ya!" she yelled, and ran off.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"I say this pink one is nice," Caldina said. "Or maybe-"  
  
"Sorry!" Umi said, rushing in. "I'm here!"  
  
"Took you long enough," Presea said. Hikaru turned around. "Hey!" she smiled. "I didn't mean to leave you, but I know you probably wanted to be left along to talk."  
  
Umi nodded. "Thanks, Hikaru. It's wasn't that big of a deal, but thanks anyway."  
  
"Why?" Fuu asked, twirling around in front of a mirror, wearing an elegant green dress. "What were you and Clef talking about?"  
  
Caldina's room was huge. There was a door that led to a large closet, containing many clothes. The closet was like a hallway, leading in on one door, and back out on another door. Caldina was in there, rummaging through.  
  
"It was nothing," Umi said.  
  
"Well... now that you're here..." Caldina smiled, walking out of the closet, holding a dress in her hands. "Why don't you... TRY ON THIS DRESS?!" she yelled, shoving a blue dress in her face.  
  
Umi smiled nervously and backed up. "But... I don't want to wear a dress..." she laughed.  
  
"But that's what everybody's here to do!" Caldina said. "It's for fun! Might even help lighten you up a bit."  
  
"What are you trying to say?!" Umi glared at her.  
  
The rest of them laughed.  
  
"Just try it, Umi," Fuu said. "You might look good in it."  
  
"But..." Umi tried.  
  
"What's wrong with wearing dresses? You never mind before," Presea said she said slyly.  
  
"Well... I guess that... oh, fine!!!" Umi laughed. She took the dress that Caldina was holding, but then also dragged her into the large closet. "But I want another one to try! Not this one!" she smiled.  
  
Caldina sniffed. "What are you trying to say about my taste?!"  
  
Umi laughed. "I just wanted a much darker blue dress!"  
  
Once Umi came out, the rest of the girls gasped.  
  
"Wow... That's really pretty..." Hikaru said with awe.  
  
Caldina smiled smugly. "I helped her out. No makeup on or anything either."  
  
Umi twirled around in front of the mirror. It was a dress with puffed up short sleeves, and the bottom flowing out largely. The bodice was green and clutched to her body tightly, and the rest of it was a deep blue sea color. About a foot from the bottom, parts of the dress were tied together into a bow, and letting it flow to the ground. "This is REALLY pretty," Umi whispered. "It doesn't look good on me..."  
  
"What are you talking about?!" Hikaru asked. "You look GREAT!"  
  
"You should REALLY wear it for the night, Umi. It'd be a nice change from that t-shirt and jeans you were wearing before," Fuu suggested.  
  
"But what are you saying about my clothes?" she asked.  
  
Fuu smiled. "Nothing."  
  
"But you guys were right anyway," Umi said, twirling around some more in front of the mirror. "It's kind of fun to do this. I think I'll try another one," she then decided, and ran back into the closet.  
  
"I'll go try one too!" Hikaru laughed, and followed Umi.  
  
Fuu smiled as her two friends walked into the hall/closet. "Caldina," she said. "You do have a lot of dresses. How DO you get all of them?""My job," she smiled. "I get paid fairly well."  
  
"Ahhh..." she said.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi went back up to her room, still wearing the dress she had put on. She took out the stereo she had brought here, equipped with batteries. (She doubted that Cephiro had a plug or anything.) Turning it on, Umi put in a cd, and waited for the music to come on. It was soothing instrumental songs. The music was nature, of tranquil water, and flutes to go along with it.  
  
Umi closed her eyes and smiled. She then twirled around. The rest of them were waiting for her to bring the stereo down, so Umi waited another minute or two, and then stopped the music.  
  
Bringing it down, Umi smiled once more. She was feeling MUCH better. They had all fooled around in Caldina's room, trying on all those dresses, misfits or not. They ended up in the weirdest combinations ever.  
  
"I brought it down!" Umi huffed, letting the stereo down lightly. She entered a large room, lights hung up and brightening the room up. Everybody that she knew were there. "It plays music!"  
  
"It does...?!" Presea asked, walking to Umi, and peered down at the stereo. She poked it. "Isn't this weird..." she mumbled.  
  
Umi then pressed play. Suddenly, loud, hard rock music blasted out of the stereo, echoing in the large room.  
  
"AAAHHH!!!!!" Presea yelled and backed up.  
  
"Oops! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Umi apologized quickly, and bend down to decrease the volume. "I must have turned on the tape part... And the instrumental stuff was kinda soft..." she mumbled to herself.  
  
Presea glared at it. "I think it's evil," she stated.  
  
Hikaru laughed. "It's not evil. It's a stereo. It's a machine."  
  
Umi shook her head and smiled slightly. She then took out her case of cds and skimmed through it, and then pulled out the instrumental cd that she put in before. Then she pressed play and let the music flow around the room.  
  
"This is your music, Umi?" Ferio asked. "It's very peaceful," he said approvingly. "Though maybe a little TOO soft for me."  
  
Umi smiled. "I have some rock music that you can listen to later."  
  
"Rock?" Ferio asked. "Rock music?"  
  
Fuu laughed. "He is thinking of boulders and pebbles, Umi."  
  
"Ehh... He'll find out later," Umi grinned.  
  
Hikaru danced around. She was wearing a sleek, red dress. "It's sounds just like water..." she laughed.  
  
Umi smiled proudly. "You know, I-"  
  
"Are we late?!" yelled a voice.  
  
Umi turned around, and smiled. "Lady Aska!" she yelled happily.  
  
"We brought Old Man and Sanyun with us!" she laughed and walked up to them.  
  
"Really? Welcome," Clef said, and walked up to them.  
  
"Good day, everybody," said another voice. Behind them, Tarta and Tatra walked in. The voice that spoke before belong to Tatra.  
  
"We brought Eagle with us," said those from Autozam.  
  
"On contrary," Eagle sniffed. "If it weren't for me, YOU guys wouldn't be here."  
  
"Ahhh... you don't have to be so specific about it."  
  
"Who are you?" Aska asked Clef, with an expression of deep thought. "We know we saw you before..."  
  
"Oh! That's right!" Presea said. "The last time they visit was when you girls were here," she told them.  
  
"I am Clef, Lady Aska," Clef said, and bowed.  
  
"WWWWWWHHHHAAAATTTTT?!?!?" Aska backed up. "But last time you were as tall as us!!! THAT IS NOT FAIR!!!!" she then yelled, jumping up and down in a tantrum. "NOT FAIR NOT FAIR NOT FAIR!!!!" Clef backed up a bit nervously. "But!" Aska said, suddenly switching to a smile. "You are quite adorable! So okay!" she said, and walked pass him. "What will we do today?" she then asked everybody else.  
  
The rest of them were still staring at Aska. Hikaru was the one to first snap out of it. "Wow!!! Everybody's here!" she laughed as the rest of them entered, and ran up to them.  
  
"Who planned this?" Fuu asked.  
  
Ferio smiled. "I did."  
  
"Really?!""But not without the help of the rest of them."  
  
"This is GREAT! We'll have a nice reunion!" Umi smiled. "I missed coming back..."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
The group had lunch together.  
  
"What's this food?" Umi asked, examining the stuff on her plate.  
  
"It's really good, Umi. Just try it!" Fuu said, already eating hers.  
  
Umi slowly took a bite. Then another. "You're right!"  
  
"See?"  
  
"We don't believe that you have seen Fahren yet!" Aska said. "Come to Fahren! We shall give you many treats when you get there!"  
  
"But Lady Aska, what about the gifts you bought today?" the old man asked.  
  
Aska shifted around in her seat. "We were hungry, so we ate it!" she laughed.  
  
"LADY ASKA!!!"  
  
"Besides, you packed our favorite treats! How can we NOT be tempted?!?!" then, Aska turned to the girls once more. "Come to Fahren! This time, you will SURELY get yummy treats!"  
  
Fuu laughed.  
  
"I must say," Eagle said. "Those dresses are really becoming on you three."  
  
Presea nudged his shoulder. "What are you trying to say about me?"  
  
"Nothing! It was a compliment!"  
  
"I think so, too, though," said Tarta. "Caldina, did you pick out the dresses for them?"  
  
Caldina nodded. "Yes, I did! Don't you all love my good taste?!" she sighed happily. "I knew EXACTLY what fits them the best!!! Cause I AM the best!!!" This went on for quite a while.  
  
"I regret asking..." Tarta smiled nervously.  
  
Ferio smiled at Fuu. "You DO look good in that, though."  
  
"Thanks..." Fuu blushed.  
  
"Anyway," Tatra said to them. "You should come to Chizeta, too. Our country is small, but you would love to see it."  
  
"We would love to go one day!" Umi said. "And Autozam too!"  
  
"We are flattered," Eagle said.  
  
"Yes, and I'll bring my music for EVERYBODY to-" Umi dropped her fork, letting it clatter on her plate. Another wave of pain went through her head. Umi held her head, and quickly got off of her chair. "AHH!!!" she yelled, staggering a bit.  
  
"Umi?!" Clef yelled.  
  
"Not again..." Hikaru whispered, worried.  
  
"This is bad..." Caldina said.  
  
"I... AHHH!!! H..." Umi yelled, trying to get out of the room for some reason. Then, her voice turned to a whisper, and she collapsed onto her knees. "Please... stop... help... me...."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef held two of his fingers to her forehead. "Her mind is a mess right now," he whispered.  
  
They had carried Umi into her room, and Clef had sat down next to her, examining her.  
  
"All I see is a jumble of thoughts, worries about many things, and more. But she seems to be most worried about... something..." he mumbled. Taking his fingers off, he sighed. "I won't pry anymore. We should clear out of her room, but let one person stay to watch over her, so when she wakes up somebody will be there."  
  
"I can do that," Fuu suggested.  
  
"No. I will," Hikaru said.  
  
"We can let both of you stay, but the rest of us should go and let other things preoccupy us while we wait. Let's go," said Clef, and got up. He led the rest of them out of the room.  
  
Once they all parted, Clef slowly walked along the corridors, thinking about what he had discovered. He didn't tell them about how he found something out about Umi's mind these days.  
  
He had found that she was most worried about her loneliness. He saw that she saw happiness in Hikaru and Fuu when they always came back to Lantis and Ferio. He saw that she wanted something close to what the two of them had. But she didn't want Ascot. She knew if she did, that meant that she was just doing it because everybody else had somebody. But he knew that already... Now he found out that she wasn't going to love him for him. So instead, she was going to wait. Wait for the right guy to appear, and then she'll fall in love with him.  
  
And with that... there was some more about her that she has closed up even to herself. Clef couldn't find anything else on what her feelings were.  
  
Clef sighed. _Umi... Even this world couldn't give you everything you desire... I'm sorry..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ "Are you okay?!" The girl ran up to Umi.  
  
Umi groaned. She was lying on the ground, in the same place once more.  
  
"Please! Wake up!" the girl yelled.  
  
Umi opened her eyes slowly. "Am I... dreaming?" she whispered.  
  
The girl stared down at her, worried. "You are getting weaker," she whispered. "Please... If you free me, I will be able to help you."  
  
Umi sat up. "Not that again..." she said. She held her head. "Geez... even in my DREAMS I faint..."  
  
"You are not well..."  
  
"I KNOW that. I just don't understand WHY!" Umi yelled, frustrated.  
  
"At this rate... You won't be able to save yourself... Let alone me..." the girl whispered.  
  
Umi's thoughts stopped at those words, and her eyes widened as she sat up. "What do you mean?" she asked slowly. "Are you saying that I'm going to..."  
  
The girl sat down next to Umi and stared at her worriedly. "I really can't say. This longing you have in you... You need to end it. Soon."  
  
"But..."  
  
"You are worrying your friends like this too. Fainting all the time. This is only your second day back at Cephiro. They will want to examine you for sure now."  
  
"I..."  
  
"But you don't want them to find out about your problems, huh?"  
  
"If they see that I'm weak, they won't be able to count on me anymore, and I don't want them to do that."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"I know that if I keep staying like this, it'll kill me... But... I can't help it. I feel so lonely all the time."  
  
"And no wonder, either. Everybody is pairing up. In fact, the only ones left on Cephiro that haven't yet are you, Clef, and Ascot."  
  
Umi nodded. "They are strong enough to get through it. But I look around, and I want to be hugged and loved. I want somebody there for me..."  
  
"Yes... That's why I chose you," she said, turning to Umi.  
  
"Why?" Umi choked out a laugh. "Because I'm weak?""No." The girl took her hands. "Because you understand the loneliness I feel. Think about it. Think about how long I've been by myself. It's been... centuries... I miss him so much..."  
  
"Your people lead long lives," Umi said.  
  
"If you and your friends stayed here, you would too. And besides that... why won't you just fall in love with Ascot?"  
  
"Because... I don't love him. I can't lie to myself. I know I don't love him. If I say I do, then that means I'm just doing it because everybody else is. I have NO clue how many times I've said that already..." she said.  
  
"But don't you want to stay here? To be with everybody here?"  
  
"I'd love that... But we all have our homes and families to go back to."  
  
"Yes. But at least you understand how I feel. To want to be loved... Please... You must free me..."  
  
Umi turned to look at her. "But you won't tell me how. And besides that, just because your love was younger than you, you felt so... closed up about it..." she mumbled.  
  
The girl's eyes flashed for a second, and Umi didn't notice it. Just as quickly, she changed back. "Um... Yeah."  
  
"Why won't you tell me how?""  
  
"Because that you must figure out by yourself. I can't tell you."  
  
"That's not fair."  
  
"I know. But think. Think of something that makes you strong. Strong enough to free me."  
  
Umi nodded.  
  
Then, the two just sat there, and listened to the water blow against the rocks at the bottom.  
  
"You know..." the girl then said.  
  
"What is it?" Umi asked.  
  
"Your friends are waiting for you."  
  
Umi stared at her. "Am I the only one who can talk to you?"  
  
The girl nodded.  
  
"I'm so sorry for leaving you here all the time."  
  
The girl then shook her head, her teeth clenched together in an untold expression. "No. I thank you. If you are ever able to free me, I will be in your debt. But right now... You need to leave me. Your friends are waiting," she said once more.  
  
"I'll be back, okay?" Umi asked.  
  
"I know. I'll be in your dreams."_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
  
Umi slowly opened her eyes. "Ugh..." she groaned.  
  
"Umi!" Hikaru said happily. "You're awake."  
  
"How long was I out?" she asked.  
  
"Hours. It's almost time for dinner, actually," Fuu said. "Everybody came in to check on you once in a while."  
  
"Really?! Oh... I'm so sorry, guys," she whispered. She then looked at herself, and saw that she was still in that fancy dress. "I should take this off."  
  
"No! Just wear it to dinner and change after your bath."  
  
"But Fuu... Are you sure we should let Umi get up? Maybe somebody can bring dinner to her."  
  
"No. Umi can take care of herself, and should come to eat. Right, Umi?" Fuu asked.  
  
Umi nodded. "I'm not that ill, Hikaru." She then got up and smiled. "Let's go. I left my stereo down there. I hope the batteries aren't still running."  
  
"We turned it off," Hikaru said.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
The next couple of days were better than the beginning. Umi didn't faint once, and she looked much happier.  
  
They went to visit Fahren the day after Umi had last fainted. Hikaru, Fuu, Persea, Caldina, and Lantis went on the trip as well. True to Aska's words, she gave them MANY sweets.  
  
"THIS is good! OH! So is this! This is our FAVORITE!!! You will adore this one too!" And as those continue, so did their pile of goodies grow. "We think this is one of the best!"  
  
Umi laughed and put it all in a bag. "Thanks, Lady Aska!" she smiled.  
  
Aska walked up to Umi. "You must become well, okay?" she asked, taking a hold of her hands. "We don't want anything bad to happen to you..."  
  
Umi nodded. "I'm sorry. I must have worried you so..."  
  
"Let's go see the land, shall we?" Aska asked, and smiled. The girls nodded.  
  
The next day, they went to Chizeta, and watched many dances.  
  
"They are REALLY talented, Lady Tarta and Lady Tatra," said Fuu. "You are lucky to be leaders of such gifted people."  
  
Tatra smiled. "Why thank you, Magic Knight. We are flattered."  
  
"I wonder if we can learn it..." she started.  
  
"YEAH! Come on!" Tarta yelled. "We'll give you your first lesson!"  
  
Fuu ended up collapsing from exhaustion. "I'll stick to archery, thank you very much," she said in a weird voice, coming from exhaustion.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay, Fuu?" Umi asked.  
  
"Why are there two of you, Lady Tarta?" Fuu asked. That was the end of the dance lessons.  
  
And the day after, they went to Autozam. This country was so advanced in machinery.  
  
"Can we try this?!" Hikaru asked, pointing to a machine that looked similar to a car. And before they could even consent, Hikaru got on. The machine zoomed off and hit a wall. Hikaru got out. "Oowww..." she cried.  
  
"That was in for repairs," Zazu explained. "You weren't supposed to get on it... Now we'll have to do more on it."  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
Zazu smiled. "It's okay. I heard that when Eagle was young," he whispered to her. "He used to get into the same incidents."  
  
"REALLY?!" Hikaru laughed.  
  
"Hey. What are you telling her there, Zazu?" Eagle asked. The entire group started to laughed at that time.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
  
When the girls returned back to Cephiro after they went to Autozam, Clef was there, waiting for them. "Did you have fun?" he asked.  
  
"Hikaru got hurt cause she didn't listen," Umi teased in a singsong-like voice.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Really? What happened?" Clef asked.  
  
"SHE didn't listen to Zazu. So-"  
  
"HEY!" Hikaru said. Umi laughed.  
  
Clef smiled. "I'm glad to see you all so happy. How much longer will you all stay here?"Hikaru stopped yelling and counted off the days on her hand. "Oh, my God!! We've been here for almost a week!"  
  
"Really?" Fuu asked. "Time sure flies when we are having fun..." she said sadly.  
  
Ferio walked up to Fuu and wrapped his arms around her waist. "But you all WILL come back sometime after this visit, right?" he asked.  
  
Umi nodded. "Yes. I'll miss this place. It's MUCH better than school..."  
  
"Then why not stay?" Lantis asked.  
  
"We have school," Hikaru said. "And school helps us get a job when we grow up. So school is quite important."  
  
"Really?" Clef asked.  
  
"Yes. We have it almost every single day."  
  
"Then... what are you guys DOING here?!" Ferio asked.  
  
"We have a couple weeks for vacation," Umi said.  
  
"Ooohh... I see."  
  
"I'd like to see what this 'school' is like," Presea said.  
  
Umi quickly shook her head. "No, you don't."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ "Hello again."  
  
Umi turned around. "Hi," she smiled.  
  
"How were you today?" the girl asked.  
  
"We went to Autozam. Did you know about Autozam?"  
  
"Yes. That country was there when I was around. I had... never mind."  
  
"It was so much fun!" Umi smiled. "If I could've given you a piece of candy from Fahren... I mean, you used to love that country so much, even though you knew that you could never go see it for yourself and all..."  
  
The girl grimaced at Umi's words, but quickly smiled and covered it up. "It's okay."  
  
"I still can't figure out what you mean, by when I'm the strongest."  
  
"I can't give you anymore clues that I already have. I'm sorry. But please, free me soon..."  
  
"I will try. I am right now. But I can't think of anything..."  
  
"You will. I know you will."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Because I can help you, my friend. So you MUST try to find out how to free me." She then smiled. "You won't be alone anymore afterwards."_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_Doncha think that sounded like a threat?! Oooooooooo... Well, it wasn't supposed to. ^^ Have fun waiting for the next chappie!!! *grins evilly to those who actually surprisingly like this fic* I think this one was kinda short... But oh wells! Please review, too! And anybody who wants me to e-mail them about the next chapter, tell me, kay? I'm more than happy to do so! Jaa!!! REVIEW PLEASE!!!  
  
  
  
_


	5. Purin

_Oh, YAY!!! Got another chapter up before Christmas!! And for all you nice readers out there: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! And if you're gonna read this after I put this on FF.N, then... HI!!! ^_^ Well, I'm glad people like this story! Please review afterwards! Oh... and for this story, I'm not being mysterious or anything about it. If there's something that you think is there, then it just might be. If you think you know who that dream person is, then you're probably 100% right. All I'm trying to do really is to get from point A to point B, meaning that I'm trying to get Umi and you-know-who together. ^_- And if you have read this much... Wow. Very admirable. *nods head*  
  
Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth belongs to Clamp, not me. The sucky poem does, though. So no steal, not that I truly think anybody will try to, really._  
  


**Untitled**  
_  
Flower of mine, flower that blooms  
Give me life, don't show me doom  
I picked out you out, from the others  
Knowing that you're the best, it's no bother  
  
You show me hope, sight of love  
You show me things, that I dream of  
I look at you, happy and content  
I smile at you, messages I wish to send  
  
Upon you I make, a wish of hope  
Hoping you'll hear, and help me cope  
I wish for the person I love to come to me  
And kiss and love me, can you make this be?  
_

  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter Five: Purin**  
  
Umi got up. Day six of her vacation. It would gradually come to an end... Umi sighed at that thought. She quickly put on a t-shirt and skirt. The sun had hardly risen, so she was pretty early.  
  
Walking around the corridors, she smiled. "I wonder what we'll have for breakfast."  
  
Suddenly, looking out the window, Umi saw that somebody was down by the gardens, walking and picking stuff up.  
  
"Clef?" she whispered. She quickly ran down the stairs and out of the castle. "Hey, Clef!" she yelled, running up to him. "Good morning!"  
  
Clef turned around and smiled at seeing who it was. "Good morning, Umi. You're quite early today. Aren't you tired from the trips you had in the past three days?"  
  
"I feel fine. What are you doing?"  
  
"Finding herbs that I need for a little brew that I want to make."  
  
"Can I help?" she asked eagerly.  
  
"Of course. What you should look for right now is the _pinsi_. It's a red color and-"  
  
"Looks like a rose?" Umi asked, pointing to a red flower.  
  
"Well," Clef said, picking one up. "That is the _nisaru_. It looks like a rose?" he asked, staring at it."  
  
"I'll bring a rose the next time I come here," Umi promised. "The flower that you are holding really resembles one. In our world, the rose comes in many colors, but mainly red. There's white, too... And maybe pink, I think."  
  
"Ahhh... quite interesting."  
  
"Well, let's find another one first. What's another one on your list?" she asked.  
  
"Well, I also need some _seru_. It's blue, and..."  
  
So for the rest of the morning, Umi walked with Clef around the gardens, looking for plants. Suddenly, she stopped.  
  
"What's this one?" she asked, pointing to a certain flower.  
  
Clef took a good look at it. "Oh. That's a _purin_. Why?"  
  
"I think it's really pretty," she whispered, crouching down to get a better look at it. This flower was pure blue, and the bloomed petals stretched out, while the rest in the middle twisted together all the way to the tip. The petals also sparkled with tiny green bright colors, looking like tiny glitter.  
  
"Really?" he asked, eyes widening.  
  
"Yes," Umi turned to look at him. "Why?"  
  
"Well, many of the women I know like _meilei_. Want me to show you?" he asked.  
  
Umi nodded. Clef brought Umi to another side of the garden, and then pointed to a batch of flowers. "These are _meileis_," he told her.  
  
Umi stared at this batch of flowers. No wonder everybody liked it. This type was a mix of a rose and a lily. But instead of having it being red, it was a swirl of yellow and white colors. "Wow..." she whispered.  
  
"See?" he said proudly.  
  
"But!" Umi said, making Clef drop his proud stance. "I still think the other one is MUCH prettier!" she smiled.  
  
"How?!" he asked.  
  
"Well," Umi sniffed. "I can have my own opinion now, can't I? I just think the other one is really nice! This is lovely, but... I feel the other one suits me much better."  
  
Clef smiled. "I see. Well, here, in Cephiro, a gift of this yellow and white _meilei_ means a gift of love."  
  
Umi laughed. "Just like a rose. But it's a red one that signifies love. I think white means... friendship or something. I forgot. I don't really do flowers."  
  
"Well," Clef said. "Shall we be getting back? I have everything I need." He showed her his basket that he was holding.  
  
Umi nodded. "Okay then. But before we do leave, can I pick up a _purin_ first? I wanna get one."  
  
"Sure. Let's go get it right now, and then go back into the castle."  
  
Umi and Clef walked back to the part where they found the _purin_. "Can I really pick one?" she asked.  
  
Clef nodded.  
  
Umi bent down, and took a fully bloomed one and pulled it out. She then stared at it. "It's beautiful..." she whispered.  
  
Clef smiled. "I am glad you like it."  
  
"Let's walk around a little longer, please?" Umi asked. "It's still a bit early, right?"  
  
"Sure, Umi. I will put these plants away later, then."  
  
As they walked, Umi stared around at the flowers. "Do you love this place? The gardens, I mean?" she asked.  
  
Clef nodded. "I should. After all, I _was_ the one who got this garden placed here in the first place."  
  
"REALLY?!" Umi asked.  
  
"Yes. I needed an easier way to find my herbs, so I got all these different plants planted here."  
  
"But what about the ones that can't grow in this environment?" she asked.  
  
"Those I go on a search for, then."  
  
Umi nodded. And then, after another minute of silence, she whispered, "I'm really sorry about Riana..."  
  
Clef turned around. "What?" _Where did this topic come from?_  
  
"I have no clue how you must've felt, Clef... but it really must've hurt," she continued. "Was she as beautiful as this garden?"  
  
Clef sighed. After about a minute of not answering, he told her, "She was much more. Everything would always go right if I could just see her face smiling at me at least once a day."  
  
"But she was the pillar..."  
  
"Yes. And for that, my love for her was my biggest sin in my entire life. I never forgave myself for it."  
  
"But you were only human, Clef. I mean, if you can't stop yourself from loving her, then it wasn't your fault."  
  
Clef smiled secretly. "That's what I told Princess Emeraude. But she didn't listen to me, and summoned you Magic Knights anyway."  
  
"Do you regret that she did?"  
  
Clef stared at Umi, his eyes wide. "What do you mean?"  
  
"If she had never summoned us, then we wouldn't have been able to kill her, like she wanted us to. Don't you see? If we never came-"  
  
"Then you would have never been able to meet Caldina. You would have never been able to meet Eagle. Lady Aska. Ascot. Me. Presea. What do you think of that?"  
  
Umi nodded. "But," she said, glaring at him. "How did this question that I asked YOU come to me?"  
  
"Well, it just sounds as if you regret having Emeraude summoning you," he told her. "Do you?"  
  
Umi shook her head. "In a way, yes. But in another way, no. If she had never summoned us, then she wouldn't have died. She wouldn't have been able to kill herself, and nobody here would've been able to take her life. But Cephiro was in danger, and she knew that she had to summon us. But... if she never did, she wouldn't have died...  
  
"But also, if she didn't, then the three of us wouldn't have met you guys. We would have never known what our lives would be like without knowing you guys."  
  
"But what is the point of thinking about it?" he asked, more to himself than to Umi. "It is all in the past, and is done. There is nothing more we can do. We can't change the past. Princess Emeraude will not come back alive. Nor will Zagato... or Riana..." he whispered the last name.  
  
"I'm sure that if Riana was still here," Umi said. "Then she would've told you to not worry about her."  
  
"I wish I could forget," he admitted.  
  
"No. You should never forgot those that you love," Umi said, a sad smile on her face. "If you had truly loved them once, then you shouldn't forget. "If you forget, then what happens if you can't remember it at all? That feeling you once had? It's not nice to forget about love..."  
  
Clef stared at Umi. "You have a look on your face, Umi, that shows that you've grown up too fast," he sighed. "I wish that you didn't have to go through all that you did."  
  
Umi shook her head. "I'm still a teenager. I have quite a while to grow up," she laughed.  
  
"Teenager?"  
  
"Yeah... young adults, I guess, is the proper word for it or something."  
  
"Ahhh... I see. Your culture is quite fascinating."  
  
"Thanks... I think..."  
  
"Have you ever loved anybody before, Umi?"  
  
Umi shook her head. "I love my friends and family. I love you. But... I never really truly... loved anybody before. Yeah, I'd risk my life for you all... but... it's not the same love as you're asking me about."  
  
"I see... Well, I think that everybody is awake by now, don't you think?" Clef asked.  
  
Umi nodded. "I guess we'll go now. It was nice talking to you," she smiled.  
  
"Yes. I enjoyed it, too."  
  
Umi then stared down at the flower she was holding. It was glistening with the light in the sky which each movement that she gives it. _If only life could be as beautiful and wonderful as this flower..._ she sighed.  
  
And then, the two walked silently back into the castle.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Hikaru! Fuu!" Umi yelled, running up to them, leaving Clef there, smiling at her happiness. They were all back in the room with the bright lights.  
  
"Yes? What is it, Umi?" Fuu asked, turning around.  
  
"Look at this!" she exclaimed, showing them the flower that she was holding gently.  
  
"Oooo..." Hikaru said. "It's so NICE!!!"  
  
Umi nodded. "I just saw this flower, and I LOVE it. It's called a _purin_. And it's really beautiful, isn't it?" she sighed happily.  
  
"So what will you do with it?" Hikaru asked.  
  
Umi shrugged. "I don't know. I just thought it was nice, and picked it up. You should take a look at the gardens! There's so many beautiful plants down there! You might find one that you'll like!"  
  
Hikaru and Fuu smiled. "We'll go walk around the castle after we eat, okay, Umi?" Fuu said. "You got up early, today, Umi. We went to look for you in your room and saw that you weren't there."  
  
"I have no clue why I woke up so early today. But I'm ready to take the day on! I don't know why, but ever since I got up, I'm hyped up to do anything!" she said happily.  
  
"But where did you go this morning?" Fuu asked.  
  
"I saw Clef at the gardens, and helped him pick out some herbs that he might've needed. After that, we just walked around and talk. That's when I saw this," she said, looking down at it. "It's lovely."  
  
"Yes. We know. We know," Hikaru said. "You'll take us down there to look around, won't you, please?" Hikaru asked.  
  
Umi nodded. "But I might need permission from Clef first. I mean, what if one of those plants are poisonous and we don't know about it? We could get hurt and all... I'll ask him first."  
  
"Sure," Fuu and Hikaru replied.  
  
"So what else will we do?" Umi asked.  
  
"I think we should go explore Cephiro some more," Fuu said. "We already looked around at the countries around it. Now let's explore the one we first came to."  
  
Umi nodded. "That's great! We can go down to the beach, too!" she exclaimed.  
  
Hikaru nodded. "And the mountains, and forests, and villages, and EVERYTHING! This'll be fun!"  
  
"Ahh..." Presea said, walking up to them. "But before you can, we must eat, and get suited for that now, okay?"  
  
The three girls nodded. "Sure!" Umi said. "I'm kinda hungry, anyway."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
After breakfast, the three girls went up to Hikaru's room.  
  
"I guess that we should wear our armor with us, huh?" Fuu suggested. They had decided to look at the gardens after they come back.  
  
"Sure," Umi said. "I can do that. It might help, I guess, for protection against... anything..." she said, realizing that there might not be much to be afraid of.  
  
"Well, I brought shorts along with me, and a small pack to carry a bit of food," Hikaru said.  
  
Umi nodded. "I did, too."  
  
"Ohh... that's the only thing I forgot to bring..." Fuu said sadly. "I didn't bring any small pack with me."  
  
"I'm sure we can fit your lunch in with ours, Fuu," Hikaru said. "If there's too much, we can put some into Umi's too."  
  
Umi nodded. "Wait!" she then said, realizing something. "But can't our armor carry our food, too? You know, with the weapons, and more?"  
  
Hikaru and Fuu sat there, thinking about it. "I don't know..." Fuu said. "I mean, it usually only stores weapons for us..."  
  
"But that's because we never really decided to PUT food in it," Hikaru said.  
  
"Maybe we should just use our packs," Umi said.  
  
"I agree. I'd be happy to carry some of Fuu's lunch."  
  
"Okay then," Fuu said. "If you guys say so. Also, we should wear something we are comfortable in walking with, right?"  
  
Umi nodded. "I have a skirt, and some boots that I can do with."  
  
"I have something too," Fuu said.  
  
"I'll go back to my room and pack up right now," Umi said, and got up. "Who else is coming?"  
  
"Umm... I don't know," Hikaru said sheepishly.  
  
"We shouldn't need anybody to come with us," Umi said. "I mean, we won't get in trouble, will we?"  
  
The two other girls nodded. "We'll ask them later," Fuu said. Then, Umi and Fuu got up, and went back to their rooms to get ready to go on a nice trip.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Oh, dear..." Presea said. "I totally forgot that I planned something with Eagle today... I'll cancelled it, though." The group was standing in front of the castle doors.  
  
"NO!" the three girls protested. "You should be able to have fun without us bothering you," Hikaru said. "We'll be fine."  
  
"Are you sure?" Presea asked uncertainly.  
  
"I can go," Ascot said, coming up to them.  
  
The girls turned around.  
  
"I know Cephiro like the back of my hand. I can go with them. I have my friends to protect them with, too, if anything comes up."  
  
Presea smiled. "Are you sure? I mean, if you have anything to do-"  
  
"I don't, Presea. Trust me. Besides, now that they've come back, I'd like to see them some more before they leave. I can take them around."  
  
Presea then nodded. She turned to the girls. "Is that okay with you guys?" she asked.  
  
The girls nodded. "It's okay," Umi said, smiling. "I'm sure Ascot will protect us for sure!"  
  
Ascot blushed.  
  
"Well," Hikaru said. "LET'S GO!!" she laughed, and they all walked off, leaving Presea back at the castle, waving good-bye.  
  
"HAVE FUN!!!" she yelled.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Let's see the mountains! Climb all the way up there!" Hikaru said.  
  
Umi nodded. "That's gonna be a challenge, but it'll be worth it!" she smiled.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want my friends to help us get up there? It would be a must faster way," Ascot suggested.  
  
Fuu shook her head. "If we do, it'll be like cheating.""Okay, then," Ascot said.  
  
As they walked, the four of them talked. "So what's been happening here before we came back, Ascot?" Hikaru asked.  
  
"Nothing much, actually. Just same old, same old. Taking care of Cephiro, helping around. I know I'll regret saying this, but it's just not that exciting here anymore after all that stuff that's happened before with the road to the pillar and Zagato. It's... _boring_..." he told them.  
  
"Really?" Fuu said. "No wonder you all looked so happy to see us again," she smiled.  
  
"But surely Lady Aska and the others have visited?" Hikaru said.  
  
"Yes, they have. But it's not exactly as much fun as before, too. Back then, we were fighting them, battling for this country."  
  
"Geez, Ascot," Umi laughed. "You sure are hungry for excitement, aren't you?"  
  
"Actually... yes, Umi."  
  
"Well... it's been great here. I'll miss this place when we leave again," she sighed and laughed. "No more waking up in a great bed up in a castle and all..."  
  
"Really? Where do you wake up?"  
  
"At home," she said. "But I have a nice bed there anyway," she said with an afterthought.  
  
"Will there be anymore parties or banquets or anything while we're here, Ascot?" Fuu asked.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe you should ask Clef and Presea."  
  
"Well," Hikaru said. "We should have one, and invite as MANY people as we can! Including Lady Tatra, Lady Tarta, Lady Aska, and EVERYBODY! And more! Some from Cephiro, for example! It'll be so much fun again! And we can dress up!"  
  
"That DOES sound like fun," Fuu said. "We should have something like that! First, a nice feast and all. And THEN we'll have the dancing and fun and talk and all!"  
  
"Yeah!" Umi said. "And we can play some of MY music there, too!" she said proudly. "It'll be nice for us to listen to that instrumental nature music last."  
  
"Very soothing..." Fuu sighed.  
  
Suddenly, Hikaru blinked. "How long have we been walking?" she asked.  
  
"For quite a while already," Ascot told her. "We're practically one third up the way."  
  
"ALREADY?!?!?"  
  
"Well, talking and walking has their own paces."  
  
Umi smiled at Ascot. "You seem to be enjoying this," she said.  
  
"It's nice to talk to you three."  
  
"Ascot?" she asked. Fuu and Hikaru were a bit ahead of them.  
  
"Yes, Umi?"  
  
"Do you hate me for... rejecting you?"  
  
Ascot sighed, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry. I must've made you feel uncomfortable with our friendship."  
  
"No," Umi said. "I'd rather have you tell me than to keep it to yourself, Ascot. I'm sorry I had to tell you that. You're a really great guy, Ascot. But... I'm not the one you'd want. Trust me on that."  
  
"Why?! You are kind, Umi. You were so nice to me. You showed me my wrongs, and put me on the right road. How can I not feel that way about you?"  
  
"Because it just seems that you love me as you would love a mother or friend, Ascot," Umi said. "Listen to those words that you say. That is what a mother would do to her son or daughter. Yeah, you'd say a friend is there to do that, too. But friends are only there to help you along that way. You love me as a friend, Ascot."  
  
"I... how would you know?" he asked stubbornly.  
  
"Because I do."  
  
"... Is there somebody that you love right now?" he asked.  
  
Umi was silent for a moment, and then shook her head. "I don't have anybody I love yet. I mean... there's nobody there that I'd love in that way that you're asking me about. Right now, I love you. I love Hikaru. I love Fuu. I love everybody. But... not in the way you're asking me about."  
  
"When you do... will you tell me?" he asked.  
  
Umi nodded. "I will. I promise you," she smiled. _Because whoever he is... he won't be here..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Umi?" Hikaru asked.  
  
Umi was staring down at the view they had. They had climbed to almost the top of the mountain, and decided to stop where there was a large flat ground for them to rest. Then, they'll climb back down.  
  
Umi then turned around. "Yes, Hikaru?""Aren't you hungry?"  
  
Umi shook her head. "I'm okay." She then turned back to look at the mountain. The view was lovely. It showed the entire forest below them, with beautiful birds flying above it. And somewhere in that view was the Forest of Silence. Umi continued to look at the view. "LOOK!" she exclaimed. "The ocean's down there! Let's go there next!"  
  
"It was so exciting climbing up here," Fuu smiled happily. "I thought I'd collapse any minute if we didn't stop here." (Umi: Okay... ^^U)  
  
"This is SO GOOD!" Ascot cried, throwing another cookie into his mouth. "What do you call this?!"  
  
"A chocolate chip cookie," Hikaru laughed.  
  
"Cha...co...lait...? This is delicious!"  
  
"Umi made it!" Hikaru said.  
  
"Well, I made most of the stuff in the pack that you are chowing down right now, Ascot. After all, it's MY pack."  
  
"Are you sure that I can eat this, Umi?" Ascot asked. "What if you get hungry?"  
  
"Then we'll go back to the castle and leave again," Umi smiled. "Go ahead and try everything in there. I hope it's good." Then, she turned back to the scene. "Do you think we can see everything here in Cephiro before it's time to go?" she asked.  
  
"Of course, Umi!" Hikaru said. "And if we don't, we can always come back next time," she said happily.  
  
"Yes... next... time..." Umi whispered to herself. She then sighed. Why did she first come here again? Oh, yeah... To find out what this feeling inside of her was. To find out what had been occupying her mind lately. Maybe it had been that girl in her dreams... trying to reach out to her ever since she came to Rayearth. Or maybe it was something else... Umi shook her head. It's the girl. It had to be. She won't accept any other explanation. Well now, Umi sighed, she needs to find out a way to 'free' her. _Something that makes me strong... What could it be?_ she mused.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
After their arduous walk back down the mountain, Fuu asked, "Is there a village we can visit? I'd like to see what the people there are like."  
  
Ascot nodded. "There's one right over there. The people there are VERY friendly. Shall we go there?"  
  
The girls nodded.  
  
"Where is it?" Umi asked.  
  
Ascot pointed ahead. "It's right over there. Come on. Instead of telling you where it is, let me SHOW you where it is. Follow me.""It's so nice to have Ascot as a guide," Fuu smiled. "He is quite resourceful, even though I'm sure that everybody else would've been."  
  
"Well, he loves my food," Umi smiled. "That's a REALLY good thing."  
  
"Good enough to consider him to be..." Fuu said slyly.  
  
Umi stared at her, and then shook her head. "Why does everybody keep saying that?!" she laughed.  
  
"I was just joking around, Umi. Don't worry. I know that you don't love anybody right now. But when you do, though, I'll support you all the way," she smiled. "After all, I think it's time you had somebody to care for more than what you are feeling now."  
  
Umi shook her head. "Noooo... I'm not ready for what you're talking about, Fuu. Right now, I'm just glad to have everybody to be my friends. I won't fall in love just because I see you all having somebody."  
  
"But... I feel as if I am being selfish," Fuu said.  
  
Umi shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just fine."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Ascot had gotten them to the village, and quickly introduced them and the villagers.  
  
"These are friends from another world. They are the Magic Knights, and they saved Cephiro," he told them.  
  
One of the little girls quickly ran up to Umi. "Hello!" she smiled.  
  
Umi crouched down. "What's your name?" She asked.  
  
"I'm Kanasi."  
  
"I'm Umi. Pleased to meet you."  
  
"Are you really a Magic Knight?"  
  
Umi nodded, smiling. "I'm a Magic Knight."  
  
"WOW!!! That's so COOL!! I was actually able to meet you and everything! Do you wanna play?!"  
  
Umi nodded once more. "What do you want to play?"  
  
"Come on!" the girl smiled, eagerly taking a hold of Umi's hand, and pulling her somewhere. "I'll show you something that's REALLY fun to play. You'll play with me right?! Please?!"  
  
Umi nodded, following the little girl. "I'll play with you. Oh! Here," Umi said, taking out a cookie. "Eat this. It's really yummy."  
  
The girl stopped dragging Umi somewhere, and took the cookie, looking at it curiously.  
  
"Don't worry! It won't give you a tummy-ache," Umi laughed. "Try it."  
  
The little girl slowly took a bite out of the cookie. Then another. One more. "This is REALLY delicious!" she smiled.  
  
Umi smiled back. "See? I told you. Do you want another one?"  
  
The girl nodded, shoving the rest of her first cookie into her mouth.  
  
"Here you go," Umi smiled.  
  
Hikaru and Fuu had already engaged conversations with some of the other villagers. "Have you really lived here your entire life?" Hikaru asked a boy that looked around their age.  
  
"Yes. I have."  
  
"Wow!" Hikaru said. She then turned to Fuu. "Let's invite EVERYBODY here to the party we said we might have!" she exclaimed.  
  
Fuu, who was standing next to Hikaru, smiled. "That sounds like a good idea. Everybody here is so generous and nice."  
  
"But we DO need permission first..." Hikaru said. "So let's invite them after we ask Clef and Presea!"  
  
Fuu nodded.  
  
"Lady Magic Knight?" the guy asked, standing next to his friend.  
  
Hikaru turned back around. "Yes?" she smiled.  
  
"I hear that you and the warrior Lantis are somewhat of a something-or-other. Is that true?" he asked curiously.  
  
Then the other guy looked at Fuu. "And you are with the royal Ferio, am I right?"  
  
Fuu and Hikaru backed up. "Well... maybe we were to quick to judge them..." Fuu smiled nervously.  
  
"These guys ARE a bit... nosy..." Hikaru said. "Besides, who told him?!"  
  
"Ascot?" Fuu whispered, suggesting the name.  
  
"Lady Magic Knights?" the guy asked, peering at them some more. "Am I right or not?"  
  
Hikaru and Fuu smiled nervously, backing up some more. "Maybe if we slowly leave, they won't notice," Fuu mumbled to Hikaru.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi's ears suddenly perked up. "Is there some source of water here?" she asked.  
  
The little girl nodded. "There's a river next to the village. Want me to show you where it is?" she asked.  
  
"Is it far?" Umi asked. The girl shook her head. "Okay then," she said. "You can show me where the river is." Umi picked up her pack.  
  
After a short walk, Umi and the girl came to a clearing, where a river was flowing down. "Does it reach the ocean?" she asked.  
  
Kanasi nodded. "Yes."  
  
Umi smiled at this. "Kanasi. You go back to your village first. I'll be there soon enough. If any of the other Magic Knights ask about me, tell them that I will be right back, okay?" she asked. Umi then saw the little girl nodded, and run back. Memorizing where to go, Umi then turned back around, and looked at the calm river. The soothing sound of trickling river sooth her nicely.  
  
Umi sat down next to the bank, and watch as the clear water rushed by. After about a minute or so, she then went in search of her pack, and came up with the purin. Umi stared at it, and saw that the flower was still in good condition. It was still sparkling against the sunlight, and the petals were curving and twisting.  
  
Umi then got up, and walked to the edge of the river. The water was at the most two to three feet deep maybe. Not too bad. Umi took off her boots, and left her pack on the ground. Taking the flower with her, she waded to about a foot off the side, and put her hand in. The water listened to her, and wrapped around her hand.  
  
Umi closed her eyes. _Hello, my friend..._ she said in thought. _I hardly do this much. Do you find this as nice as I do?_ Then, Umi slowly put the flower into the river, and watched as it slowly floated down the stream. The water had always sooth her soul. That's why she loved going to the beach so much when she was young. And it never felt cold to her. Instead, the water gave her a tingling feeling instead.  
  
All of a sudden, Umi felt the water around her legs rushing a bit faster now. Knowing that it might get a bit dangerous, Umi started to wade back to the bank. Suddenly...  
  
"OH!" she shrieked, as the water rushed even more now. "Oh, no! HELP!!" Umi yelled. She was getting pulled to the middle of the river, sinking in. Umi then realized that a couple feet from the bank, the height reached a couple feet. But in the middle, it was more than five feet deep. _I... I CAN'T BREATHE!!!! HELP!!!!!_ Umi yelled in her head, for she was being pulled into the river as it rushed down its path.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_No dreams in this one. ^_- Haha. Oh! Please review!!! I love reviews, I really do! And if it's a flame, *shrugs* I respect your opinion. And if you're gonna flame me outta spite for something that I wouldn't know I did... *shrugs* Then you're just being a big, big MEANIE!!! (OOOhh... strong word there, Drkdemon...) Well, please review!!! And if you want me to keep you updated on this fic, just tell me! Okay then... Byes! ^_^_


	6. Not A Word

_ Chapter six! Chapter six! Chapter SIX!!! Okay. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth doesn't belong to me. The poem does, though. SO NO STEAL!!!! Here's some messages to the ppl who reviewed my previous chapter!!!_  
  
_ Bearit: Yeah... Maybe I should have it down in general or something. ^_^ Well, glad you like the fic, though!  
  
Shazzam: Yes, Umi is in trouble. Read to find out what's gonna happen!  
  
T.L. Umi R.: Suspenseful? Yeah. That's a way of putting it. Romantic? Not coming up yet... hehehe.  
  
Ghettoangel: I'm glad you like it!  
  
Kaiya: Sorry I just left you there... Well, read on now!  
  
Lastat: Yeah... I hate cliffhangers, and I'm a big jerk for using them a lot. ^_^  
  
Blade of DarknessBow of Light: Yeah. Soda does that to me, too. In fact, you should see the looks I get from my friends when I get hyper. ^_^;;;  
  
Aylee the Dragon: Yeah... I know I kinda have low self-esteem. (Okay, Alex?! I admitted it!!) My friends get kinda annoyed with me... But hey! Thanks for reading my ficcy!!! ^_^_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**_Untitled_**  


  


_Keep my mouth close, keep it shut  
Not a word, not even a 'but'  
I won't say a thing, I'll be strong  
I'll keep fighting, on and on  
  
I can't have people crying over me  
I can't have them scolding, don't let that be  
I can't have them look at me with painful eyes  
I'd rather die than to let them cry  
  
So until I can be sure about winning the fight  
Not a word will come out, I'll use my might  
I can't let them see me as weak or small  
None of this for me, none at all  
_  
*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter Six: Not A Word**  
  
"*gasp!* I think something's wrong," Hikaru said. "Where is Umi?"  
  
"She was with the girl," Fuu said.  
  
Hikaru looked around. "But the girl's not with her," Hikaru said. "Let's go."  
  
Fuu and Hikaru ran up to Kanasi.  
  
"Umm... Have you seen Umi?" Fuu asked.  
  
Kanasi nodded. "She's by the river. She said she'd come back in a couple of minutes."  
  
Hikaru bend down. "I'm sorry to bother you, Kanasi, but can you show us where Umi went? Please?" Turning back to Fuu, she said, "I felt something at first. I don't like that feeling. I'm sure something's happened to Umi. We should've kept a closer watch on her, especially after all those black-outs she had in the beginning."  
  
Kanasi nodded, and after a couple of minutes, brought Hikaru and Fuu to where she had brought Umi. The three of them gasped. Umi's boots were there. Her pack was there.  
  
But she wasn't there.  
  
"Oh... no," Hikaru whispered. "I knew it."  
  
"We need to find her. Quickly! I'll tell Ascot to make one of his friends fly quickly back to the castle to tell Clef and Presea about Umi. They'll find her!" Fuu said, and rushed back to the village. Hikaru stayed behind to pick up Umi's clothing and pack. She then gestured to Kanasi.  
  
"Come on. We're going back," she said.  
  
"Am I in big trouble?" the girl asked with a frightened look on her face.  
  
Hikaru strained a smile and shook her head. "You're not in trouble. Come now. We have to bring you back home, so you won't get lost or anything, and we won't have to worry about you, too."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"SHE'S WHAT?!" Ascot yelled.  
  
"Get one of your friends to fly back to the palace quickly to tell Clef, Ferio, and Presea. We can't lost any time," Fuu said urgently.  
  
Ascot nodded. "MONSTER SUMMON!!!" he yelled, and summoned up a monster, and gave it orders. After it flew off, he summoned another one. This time, it was an escort. "We won't slow my first one down; This one's to bring us back. Let's go," he said, and helped them up. Saying a quick good-bye to the village, they all left.  
  
"I should've known to keep an eye on her!" Fuu said. "We KNEW she was sick! WE KNEW!"  
  
"Calm down, Fuu!" Ascot yelled against the wind. "It wasn't your fault! It wasn't anybody's fault! Now is not the time to blame ourselves, or anybody, at that matter. What matters now is that we must find Umi!"  
  
Hikaru held onto Fuu. "He's right, Fuu. Calm down. We need to stay calm to think right. Why would Umi's pack and boots be the only things left?"  
  
"Was she kidnapped?" Ascot suggested.  
  
"No. They would've taken her without leaving things behind. At least, that's what should've USUALLY happened," Fuu said.  
  
"But we can't rule that out yet," Hikaru said. "Maybe a prank?"  
  
Fuu shook her head. "She knows we'd be serious about this. She wouldn't be so mean as to pull something that would look THIS serious."  
  
"Maybe she went for a walk?" Ascot tried.  
  
"No. She would've worn her... boots... with her..." Fuu whispered. "She... could she have gone for a swim, and the river pulled her away?!"  
  
Hikaru gasped. "Come on! We gotta hurry and get back to the castle!"  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Clef! Clef!" Presea yelled throughout the halls.  
  
Clef peeked out of a room. "What is it, Presea?!" he asked. "What is so urgent that you must interrupt my studies?!"  
  
Presea stopped at his room, and gasped for breath. "Umi!" she yelled. "She's gone! She's missing!"  
  
Clef's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"  
  
"You go talk with Ascot's creature friend! He's at the main door!"  
  
Clef quickly ran down to the front of the castle. There, he found a large creature.  
  
"What is it?" he asked him. He listened as the creature told him everything that Ascot told him.  
  
"Well?" Ferio asked.  
  
"They found Umi's boots and pack, but nothing more," Clef told him. Turning back to the creature, Clef nodded. "Thank you. You can wait for Ascot to return. I will go search for Umi," he then told them all, and returned inside to the castle.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ How can this happen?! I'm going to die in WATER?!?!? That is REALLY pitiful... I need to calm the water down. Please... Don't do this to me... Why won't you listen to me? Please?  
  
What do you mean that I'm evil?! I'm your friend! Please!!! Don't do this!! I won't hurt you!! Listen to me! Please! LISTEN TO M-  
  
I'm... I'm so tired... Breath... losing... help... please... C... C..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef walked back into the room where his viewer was. He looked down on it. "This time it's even more important. Urgent, in fact," he mumbled. "Come on..." Chanting a spell and waving his staff above it, he looked into the pool. He waited a minute for an image to appear. The water shimmered a bit, and then calmed down, showing nothing at all.  
  
"Damn!" he cursed. "_Come on..._" he chanted once more, waving his staff above it. The water shimmered once again, but didn't show anything. Clef started to panic a bit. "COME ON!!!!" he yelled, and slammed his hands on the edge of the pool "SHOW ME!!!"  
  
This time, the water shimmered, and the surface changed, but not that much. The image of rushing water appeared.  
  
"Where is she?" he asked the viewer calmly, forcing himself to not freak any more than he already had.  
  
The image became clearer, and it showed a girl, struggling in the water.  
  
"WHICH OBJECT OF WATER IS SHE IN?!?!?" he yelled, using as much force as he could. Something was trying to block him, but wasn't doing too good of a job of it. After waiting a minute for the message to get to him, he nodded. "I see... THAT river... It reaches the ocean?... How long until she does?... Good. Okay," he whispered, and waved his hand around the viewer. Slowly, the image faded away, showing regular water once more. Then, he exited the room.  
  
Walking out of the castle, Clef saw Presea and Ferio standing outside, worrisome looks on their faces.  
  
"I'll go get her," he informed them. "If Hikaru, Fuu, and Ascot gets here before I get back, tell them to wait here for me to return. If they insists on leaving, FORCE them to not go anywhere. I know where I can find her. Make sure that they don't leave the castle. I don't want more people disappearing on us. Do you have that down?"  
  
Presea and Ferio nodded, taking in everything that he said.  
  
"Okay, then," Clef said. "I'm off. PET SUMMON!!!!" Clef then yelled. The creature that came out of his staff was a large, elegant, and fierce-looking unicorn with wings.  
  
Getting on it, the creature quickly tore off. _You know where to go._ he told his creature. _Once we reach there, I'll need your eyes to guide me to find her. I trust you to be able to do that._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ The water... You're not stopping... So you won't listen to me, then...? Okay... If I'm gone... then what's going to happen? I thought I was your friend...  
  
When I'm gone... will you then be happy? Why... won't you... answer me...?  
  
Oh...  
  
It's almost time... I understand...  
  
I just wish... that... if I had died... it wouldn't have been... by your... hands..._  
  
Suddenly, Umi felt a rush of wind blow against her.  
  
_HUH?!_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef quickly arrived at where the river that Umi saw met the ocean. His creature was hovering right above the body of water. _I'm sure that she hasn't reached here yet... What if she did?! Oh, no... If she did, then my search would be harder. Maybe I should have told them ALL to come in a group, instead of having none come at a-_  
  
_What?_ Clef asked his animal. Then, he heard the animal respond to his worries. _Yes. I understand. I shouldn't waver? Okay. I-_  
  
Clef's thoughts suddenly stopped. He saw a small figure getting pushed from the river and rushed into the ocean. "I SEE HER!" he yelled. "GO!"  
  
His creature quickly zoomed to the general area of where Umi's body had been pushed to.  
  
Clef smiled at his creature. He put his staff down. "Wait for me," he whispered. "I'll have no choice but to get a bit wet."  
  
And with those words, Clef dived into the ocean, leaving his staff with his animal.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi a gust of wind blow onto her. And then, the water came rushing back. She couldn't open her eyes. What she had just felt was herself leaving the river to the ocean.  
  
_The water's calmer here... but... I don't have the strength, and the current's still too strong. I won't make it after all. Oh... I can't do this. I... please legs. MOVE!_  
  
Umi tried to thrash around, but found that she couldn't move any part of her body at all.  
  
_I... I'm sorry everybody. If I can't control my own element power... how could I have possibly been able to look strong in front of you all? I... I..._  
  
Suddenly, a bit of warm energy flowed through into Umi. It was coming from someplace else... Not the water.  
  
_What...? Who...? Such warmth..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Umi! Umi!" Clef yelled. He had dived into the water, and was quick enough to find the drowning Umi. He took a hold of her, and pulled her up above the water. Now, after he had collapsed onto the shore with her next to him, his animal quickly flew to his side. Clef then quickly took a hold of her hands, and was rubbing them together quickly.  
  
"Come, Umi. Wake up... I need you to warm up..."  
  
Umi's eyes slowly opened. "Ugh..." she groaned.  
  
Seeing that her eyes were opening, Clef smiled. He then picked her up, carrying her in his arms, and walked to his creature. "It's time to get back to the castle," he said, and got on. Then, he said to his animal, "Let's GO."  
  
Umi's eyes opened into slits, but she couldn't widen them anymore than that. "Who...?" she whispered.  
  
"We are getting you back to the castle, Umi. Try to not fall asleep, if you can."  
  
"It's... warm..." she whispered. _Warmth... flowing into me..._  
  
"I know your clothes are still wet, but you need to bear with me. When we get you back, the girls will help you change."  
  
"But... who..." she strained, having her voice come out in a raspy voice.  
  
"Shh... Just stay quiet, but keep your eyes open... Please... Keep your eyes opened..."  
  
"But... sleep..." she whispered.  
  
The person sighed, defeated. "Okay, then. I understand..."  
  
But even as the person talked, Umi felt her heavy eyelids close once more.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_"Is she okay?" Umi turned around. She was standing in a dark place, and the voice riveted around her surroundings.  
  
"... ocean... just in time..." She sharply turned around, but couldn't find the voice.  
  
"... who... what's happening to her..."  
  
"... in danger... possessed?..."  
  
"Controlled by something? Maybe..."  
  
Umi held her head in confusion. Where am I?!?!  
  
"... suggest for her to... castle... days..."  
  
"Yes. That..."  
  
"Might... attention... heal..."_  
  
Please...! Stop talking!! Leave me alone!!! _Umi cried as she clenched her fingers onto her head to stop the voices.  
  
"Probed into her..."  
  
"No! Privacy..."  
  
"... needs... want to..."  
_  
Be quiet!! Please! You're hurting my head!!! _Umi whimpered as the voices got louder. "Leave me alone..." she whispered. "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"*gasp*!" Umi's eyes flashed open. She quickly sat up, causing Fuu to jump.  
  
"Umi!" Fuu then cried, and hugged her. "You're okay! You're okay!"  
  
Umi looked around. Where was she? Back into her room?  
  
Fuu looked into Umi's eyes, searching. "Umi?" she whispered. "Are you okay?"  
  
Umi stared at Fuu. _This is my friend._ she said to herself. _Fuu... Why won't I talk to her?_  
  
"Umi?" Fuu asked, getting worried. "Can you answer me?"  
  
Umi nodded her head.  
  
"Why don't you?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Shrug.  
  
"I'll go get the others. Please don't do anything, Umi. I'll be back in a minute."  
  
Umi sat there, and watched as Fuu ran out of the door.  
  
_I can talk. I can say many things... But why won't I answer her? Why? I... I know I can say stuff. I know I can... But why don't I? My will... Strongest? What makes me... strong?_  
  
"... she won't talk to me at all. I have no clue why," Fuu said, entering the room with Hikaru, Clef, Presea, Ferio, and Ascot.  
  
Hikaru knelt down next to Umi's bed, staring up at her with painful eyes. "Umi?" she asked. "Are you okay?"  
  
Umi stared at Hikaru. And slowly, she smiled at her.  
  
"How are you doing?" Hikaru tried.  
  
Umi shrugged her shoulders. Hikaru turned around to look at the others. "What happened to her?" she whispered.  
  
Umi stared around. _Did I do something bad?_  
  
Clef walked up to Umi, and took her hand into his.  
  
_Umi?!_  
  
Umi felt the a voice rivet in her head, and got so nervous and frightened that she tried to pull her hand away.  
  
_Umi! Wait! Don't pull! It's me. It's Clef._  
  
Umi looked up at him, her eyes widening. _Clef? Can you... Can you hear me? You can talk to me in thought?_  
  
Clef nodded, surprised that Umi answered him at all. Then, he spoke to her again. _Yes. I can. Why won't you talk?_  
  
_I... I don't know. I have no clue why I don't want to... Can you read my thoughts?_ she asked, frightened at the idea.  
  
Clef shook his head. _No. I can only hear what you want to send me. I'm surprised you are able to. Usually, it takes a great deal of will in order to send. Why won't you answer in voice, Umi? Can you talk?  
_  
Umi nodded. _Yes. I can. I can talk. I know I can._  
  
_Then talk._  
  
_But I have nothing to say..._  
  
_Just a small 'hi' could let them all relax._  
  
_But... I don't want to talk. I don't know why... Anyway, who saved me from the water?_  
  
_That doesn't matter right now._ he thought to her hastily._ Are you sure you don't want to say anything?_  
  
_...Yes..._  
  
Clef nodded, and then let go of her hands. The then turned back to the others. "I think you're right. She doesn't want to talk. Well..."  
  
Ascot ran past Clef, and took Umi's hands into his. "Umi. Please! Please talk!"  
  
Umi shook her head, staring at him.  
  
"Why not? Why won't you talk to us?! To me?! Did we do anything to anger you?" he asked.  
  
Umi shook her head fiercely, as if emphasizing on 'no'.  
  
Ascot kneeled down next to her bed. "Why?" he whispered. "Why won't you say anything?"  
  
Umi started to back up away from Ascot. Clef stared at them. "Come, Ascot. We shouldn't disturb her."  
  
Ascot turned around to glare at him. "No! I think Umi needs us! Why would she only talk to you and not me?!"  
  
Presea shook her head. "Clef is strong enough to be able to exchange mind voices, Ascot. You should know that! Don't yell at Clef!"  
  
Ascot sighed, took one last look at Umi, and got up. "I'm sorry, Guru. I... I guess I'm jumpy enough to snap at people," he apologized.  
  
Clef smiled. "Don't worry. Let's just leave."  
  
After they all left, Umi sighed. _I don't want to talk... Looks I ruined another day. This isn't good at all._  
  
Umi then opened her mouth. "A..." it came out in a raspy voice, and she herself could hardly hear it. "I..."  
  
After a while, Umi gave up, and just went to sleep.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_"What happened?! What happened to you?!" the girl asked. The two of them were sitting down again on the cliff.  
  
Umi shook her head. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't talk."  
  
"You are now."  
  
"Well, because this isn't real. But I can't say a word to anybody."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Well, it's not like I can't... It's more of... I just wouldn't..."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
Umi sighed. "I don't know... And today, I got into danger. I almost DROWNED," she said, shocked at those words. "I'm not SUPPOSED to drown!"  
  
"The water... it didn't listen to you?" she whispered, her eyes widening.  
  
Umi shook her head. "It wouldn't... I don't understand what's going on," she whispered. "I'm... scared."  
  
"You can't be scared."  
  
"Yes, I can!" she argued. "It's a human emotion, and I'm human. I'm scared that I might die..."  
  
"So are you leaving Cephiro, then?" the girl asked.  
  
Umi shook her head. "No. I still have to save you, don't I? I mean, to FREE you."  
  
"But not if you're going to risk your life..."  
  
"No. You might not ever be able to find anybody else for centuries again! What if he dies by then? You'll be lonely. Nobody wants to be lonely."  
  
"How can you risk yourself like that?"  
  
"Because I can, and nobody has to stop me. I should rephrase that: Nobody CAN stop me."  
  
"I can," she whispered.  
  
"But you won't. I won't let you."  
  
The girl shook her head. "I am much stronger than you."  
  
Umi stared at her. "Then why can't you free yourself?"  
  
"Because I can't. It's not allowed."  
  
"Ooh..."  
  
"Well, should you be leaving?"  
  
Umi shook her head. "I don't want to."  
  
"But if you don't go to search, then how will you be able to free me?"  
  
After a moment of silence... "Good idea."_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi woke up to see that nobody was in her room. She got up, and found that she was wearing a loose, comfortable, plain dress. _I guess that they changed my clothing when they brought me back here..._ she realized.  
  
Umi slowly opened her door, and peeked outside. Nobody was around, so she walked out. Umi stared at the large windows in the corridors, and saw that Hikaru, Fuu, and the others were down by the gardens, looking at the flowers. She smiled secretly, and continued to walk down the hallways.  
  
_Something that makes me stronger..._ she mused to herself. _What can that be? My friends? Hmmm... My music? People around me? My heart? No. Heart is the will, and I need something to make my will stronger..._  
  
Umi then silently walked around the castle some more, pondering the thought of being strongest.  
  
_Obviously, when she said strong, she did not only mean by strength. She probably meant mental energy, too. And everything else. I need... to find something that strengthens me..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Hikaru looked at the plants in the gardens. "They're so pretty..." she whispered.  
  
"But will never match your beauty," Lantis smiled.  
  
Hikaru took Lantis' hand, and leaned on his shoulder. "Why can't we all be happy? And have fun for the rest of our lives? Why do we have to suffer?" she asked, her eyes showing pain.  
  
Lantis wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and held her close. "Because some of us aren't ready to accept the fact that we don't want to be alone anymore."  
  
"Oh... Poor Umi..." Hikaru whispered.  
  
"She doesn't want to show any weakness."  
  
"I... I want her to be happy," Hikaru said.  
  
"You can't find happiness for another, Hikaru. You have to let them find it themselves. And some people just take a longer time. Trust her, Hikaru. She'll be able to find it someday."  
  
"Just like how I found mine?"  
  
Lantis nodded. "Just like how you and Fuu found your own."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Fuu bend down. "What's this flower?" she asked.  
  
"It's a _kanra_." This flower had many petals, blooming out and looking wonderfully large. It's color was purple and orange, and shone like the sun.  
  
"It's so pretty..." she smiled.  
  
"Go ahead and take it," Ferio said. "This flower isn't dangerous."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. Clef taught me which ones we should touch, and shouldn't touch."  
  
"Where is Clef, anyway?"  
  
"I think he's around here somewhere."  
  
"Okay. Are you sure I can take it?"  
  
Ferio smiled, and bend down. He clipped one off, and pulled off part of the stem. Then, he walked closer to Fuu, and tied it around a part of her hair. After that, he stood back, and stared at her. The flower shone on her blond hair nicely.  
  
"You look great," he told her. "That flower suits you nicely."  
  
Fuu blushed. "Thanks, Ferio." She managed to force a smile onto her face.  
  
Ferio frowned. "This walk isn't helping you, is it?"  
  
Fuu sighed, and finally, shook her head.  
  
"Well," Ferio said. "I don't exactly blame you."  
  
"I... I don't want to see Umi get hurt anymore," she whispered. "I feel so guilty, and selfish about all this. Here I am, enjoying my time with you, while she's back in the castle, sleeping, and can't say a word to us. I... I don't want to see her hurt anymore."  
  
Ferio walked up to Fuu, and hugged her closely, and her tears started to flow out.  
  
"I don't want any of us to cry anymore because we feel as if we are alone, and there's nobody there for us. I don't want Umi to think that. I..." she whispered.  
  
Ferio held her closer. "You don't have to. And Umi doesn't have to either. We're all here for you. Please don't cry, Fuu. It hurts to see you cry like this."  
  
Fuu smiled through her tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to look so weak and all. Thank you, Ferio. Thank you all... for never giving up on any of us. I'm so happy to be here, with Clef. With Presea. With everybody. But especially... I'm glad I came back to see you again. Promise me you'll wait for me forever, Ferio. Please? I don't want to ever lose you like how... your sister lost Zagato..." she whispered.  
  
Ferio smiled, and hugged her close. "If you didn't say those words just now, I was about to say them anyway."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi watched as Ferio went to hug Fuu, and Lantis held onto Hikaru. She smiled. If only she could've let them forget about her, but she knew they were thinking about her, for she saw that Fuu started to cry. If only I can make them all forget about me... _If only I could disappear from this world, giving them no more worries about me. No more... anything. Anything bad, that is. If I could make it so that Riana had never died... so Clef could be happy. And that I can free that girl from her chains... her trap. If I can give Ascot a girl who'd deserve him... I think... I think I need to go calm myself down..._  
  
And with that thought, Umi walked slowly out of the castle.  
  
After a couple minutes of walking, she found herself near the ocean, at the beach.  
  
_Do you really hate me?_ Umi asked the water. _Why won't you listen to me anymore? Did I take you for granted? Didn't I try to not hurt you? Didn't I have to summon all of my will to finally do a spell? Weren't you always there for me since the beginning of my adventures here in Cephiro? Do you... do you really hate me?_  
  
Umi sat down on the sand, and she watched as the water splashed onto the moist ground. Suddenly, something clicked in Umi's head. She slowly got up, and stopped at the edge of the water, this time knowing that she should approach it with caution.  
  
Then, Umi dipped her hand into the water. She felt the water run against her hand, but not the same warm feeling that she used to get. And now... she felt nothing. She sighed, and talked with her heart.  
  
_Why won't you listen to me? Is it because you feel that I've grown weak? Well... I'm not weak. I'll never be weak. I can't. I have to protect my friends. I have to stay well to keep them happy. To keep my family happy. That, and... well, you are here, you know. No matter what country, world, or whatever I'm in, you're always there. Won't you love me before, like I still love you? Won't you listen to me... please?_  
  
Suddenly, Umi felt the water wrap around her hand as she clenched it into a fist. _My belief is my power. My will is my power. My heart is my power. My... my feelings... and my friends... are my power... _Umi realized.  
  
_Something... that makes me strong. That helps me and my will._ Umi stared at the water in front of her. _THE OCEAN!!! The ocean makes me STRONG! The water! It keeps me going. It keeps me flowing... It's my element, and my closest friend. I KNOW!! I KNOW now!!!_  
  
Umi then walked into the ocean until it reached her knees. _My friend... help me... Please. Make my dreams and wishes come true. I want my friends... to be happy..._ Umi then slowly lifted her arm up. And with that movement, the water around her swirled, creating a small whirlpool around her. _Give my friends happiness. If I wasn't here, then they wouldn't have to worry about me. Give Clef Riana. If he sees her again, and she can be his, then he'll be happy. Give Ascot a woman to love, and to love him back... Please. I want my friends to be happy..._ Umi then held her other hand up, and the water around the whirlpool lifted to form a wall.  
  
_Make it so that I never existed. Make it so that all my worries are gone. And all my worries that I gave to others are gone. My parents... they never had me. Hikaru and Fuu never met me. They saved Cephiro by themselves. I never existed... so I could've never caused harm... or grief..._ Umi willed. She closed her eyes, and tears flowed out. Then, she had both of her arms cover her in a self hug.  
  
_So I could never cause harm...or grief... to others... anymore..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_Ladedadeda... Have fun waiting for the next chapter. *grins evilly* Please review now! I love reviews, so review, review, review!!!! Reviews makes Drkdemon VERY happy!!! Oh... umm... those who want me to keep them updated about this fanfic, just tell me. Okay. Buh byes, everybody! ^_^_


	7. Umi's Will

_ Disclaimer: The series Magic Knight Rayearth doesn't belong to me. The poem does, though, so no steal.  
  
Kaiya: Well, here it is! Happy reading!  
  
Ghettoangel: I'm not the patient type either... But oh, wells! Here's chapter seven!  
  
Shazzam: Being goofy's fun! ^_^ It scares my friends sometimes when I am goofy, but *shrugs* That's the fun part of it.  
  
Lastat: Oh... You're too nice! *grins*  
  
Bearit: I'd tell you everything you're asking... But that'd just ruin the story for you. So happy reading!  
  
Aylee the Dragon: Yeah... I think I'm gonna answer reviews for this fic from now on. ^_^  
  
T.L. Umi R.: Ladeda... Unexpected things happen, yes. If that shocked you, wait till you see what happens next. *smiles evilly*  
  
Avium: Clef and Umi... Hm.... *smiles evilly again*  
  
Akimi Kaori: It's here. Chapter SEVEN!!! ^_^  
  
Digi*girl: Clef and Riana??? Well... *shrugs* You'll find out soon. This fic is updated at least once a week, unless something happens to me (Pray that doesn't happen).  
  
Mitsuko Hime: It's cuz of you I posted this up early. Everybody thank this wonderful girl. *grins* (Yes, it's early cuz it's suppose to be up NEXT week.)_  
  


_*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**Untitled**  
  
Will is power, will is might  
Will is there to help me fight  
If I'm strong, body and mind  
Answers I can seek, to look and to find  
  
Give me my wishes, dreams, and hopes  
Give me what I want, let me cope  
With the future, this life of mine  
A fantasy to create, to have eyes go blind  
  
Let it so that my friends are well  
No more worries left to dwell  
Don't let them cry, pain in their hearts  
Let it so happiness in their souls will never part  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
_  


  
**Chapter Seven: Umi's Will**  
  
Fuu and Hikaru stared around the garden.  
  
"It's so lovely, Ferio," Fuu whispered. She showed no sign of crying. "I'm so glad Hikaru and I saved this place..."  
  
Ferio smiled and held onto Fuu tighter. "You saved my home. The two of you Magic Knights really helped.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef looked around at the room with the magic pool in it. He felt such peace here... Such... happiness...  
  
Suddenly, Clef heard a clatter of feet walking his way.  
  
"Who is it?" he asked, without turning around.  
  
"Clef?"  
  
Clef's thoughts froze at the voice. He'd never imagine he'd hear the sound of her again. But her recognized her voice. The voice that he had heard centuries ago. Clef turned around, and his guess was right.  
  
"R... Riana..." he whispered.  
  
She walked up to him. Now, Clef looked about a year or two older than her.  
  
"Hello, Clef," she said softly.  
  
"But... how? Am I dreaming? That must be it. I am delusional right now, aren't I? You're not here..."  
  
"I am here, Clef."  
  
"But... this must be a trickery." Clef held his staff in his hands. "Who are you, and what do you want? I will not go easy on you for trying to fool me. You have no clue what the pillar before Princess Emeraude did to me," he said, becoming a bit unsteady at the sight of her.  
  
Riana walked up to him. "Clef... this is truly me. Please... why won't you believe me? What would I gain from lying to you?"  
  
"I... have no clue."  
  
"And... I am the only one who knows of your confession to me that day, aren't I? Nobody else was there when you told me."  
  
Clef gulped. "Ferio knows."  
  
"But he has nothing to gain from doing this to you. I'm really here, Clef."  
  
"But... I thought you were..."  
  
"I did too, Clef. I was sure that I was dead. But... somebody, with such as strong will, must have brought me back. It must've been you, Clef, calling me back. I... I'm back. I'm here now, Clef. Aren't you happy?" she asked. "I am yours forever now, Clef. I won't be with anybody else."  
  
Clef took in a breath, and let it out. Then, he walked up to her. "Riana..." he whispered.  
  
Riana smiled softly, and then went in to hug him. With that movement, Clef held onto her tight. "Riana..." he whispered. "I'm so sorry. It was my fault that you died before... If I had never told you."  
  
Riana shook her head. "I'm so glad you told me, Clef. If you didn't, I would have never known how you felt about me. And... how I felt about you. How much I actually cared for you. And now that I am no longer the pillar, I am yours. But even if I was the pillar, I can still love you now, can't I? The new pillar did a good job, Clef. You trained them both well. They made an enormous difference to Cephiro."  
  
Clef sighed and held her closer. "You'll stay with me now, won't you, Riana?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
Clef laughed silently. "I don't know what to say. All I can do is hug you. I guess that seeing you all of a sudden, and out of the blue, has really gotten-"  
  
Riana took Clef's face into her hands. She smiled. "You don't have to say anything at all," she whispered, and leaned up.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Ascot smiled and watched as Fuu and Hikaru hugged Ferio and Lantis in happiness. Ever since they came back to visit, everything was going nicely. They brought smiles back onto the men's faces. They should really decide to stay here in Cephiro. After all, Lantis and Ferio might start planning to propose to them.  
  
Ascot laughed to himself. The gardens were such a vivid and colorful place. If only his friends wouldn't be so big and crush it all if he summoned them.  
  
"What's so funny?" a woman voice asked.  
  
Ascot turned around. "Oh. Hello, Lanna," he smiled, and took her into his arms.  
  
Lanna was from Fahren, and they met when Lady Aska brought her along with her ship, trying to invade into Cephiro. After everything was settled, Lanna decided to stay here, with Ascot.  
  
"I ask you again, what's so funny?" she asked curiously.  
  
"I was thinking about weddings," he said.  
  
"No! Nonono!" Lanna said. "Leave those thoughts to us women," she said strictly.  
  
"Oh!" he said, as if appalled. "Well, then. I guess I should apologize then."  
  
"Yes, you should."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"You're forgiven."  
  
"Good. Now... what do you want to do? Fuu and Hikaru have taken up the gardens," Ascot laughed silently.  
  
Lanna hit him lightly. "Don't tease them! They are HAPPY. Just as I am with you," she said, taking his hand into hers.  
  
"I am happy with you, too, Lanna," Ascot said, smiling.  
  
"Do you think that us being together is okay?" she asked.  
  
Ascot stared at her. "What do you mean?!"  
  
"Well... I was Lady Aska's servant-"  
  
"And she happily obliged to letting you stay here. With ME. I may sound selfish, but I don't want you to ever leave me. Please," he whispered, bending down to bury his face into her hair. "I don't want you to think of that ever again. Call me selfish if you want, but I'll never let you go. Not after all we went through to finally be together."  
  
Lanna smiled, her eyes forming tears. "I love you, too, Ascot," she said. "You always make me so happy."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ I dreamed of a world...  
  
A world where everything would come together, and be perfect.  
  
A world where everyone I love would be happy. Forever.  
  
A world where all their worries would leave. And come to me.  
  
A world where peace is everything.  
  
A world where they won't have to feel any loneliness.  
  
A world...  
  
That I could never hope for to be in...  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Hikaru looked up at the sky.  
  
"Think about it," she whispered. "To finally feel as if I can fly up there, and it still wouldn't fulfill me as much as being here with you, Lantis."  
  
"I feel the same about you, Hikaru," Lantis smiled. Then, he bend down and picked up a meilei, and gave it to her. "You'll forever be with me, won't you?"  
  
Hikaru smiled. "I'll try. You'll wait for me, right?"  
  
Lantis nodded, and hugged her tight. "I'll ALWAYS wait for you if I have to. An eternity's all I need."  
  
"Remember when we first met?" she asked.  
  
Lantis nodded. "I couldn't get you out of my head since I saw you, and your deep eyes."  
  
"I wish we could stay like this, you know. Just standing here. Watching the gardens, having the wind blow at us lightly. It's a wonderful feeling."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Hello, everybody."  
  
Hikaru and Lantis turned around. "Oh. Hello, Presea," Hikaru said. "Hello, Arrow."  
  
"Good day, Lady Hikaru," Arrow replied. Arrow was from Autozam, and had fought alongside with Eagle against the knights. After the battle, he decided to stay here, to help fix the country up again. And now, after all that was over, he decided that he loved this place to much to leave it. So, with Eagle's consent, he has been here ever since.  
  
"Shall we go back inside? Lunch is set up," Presea said.  
  
Hikaru and Lantis nodded.  
  
"Where is Eagle, Presea?" Lantis asked.  
  
"He is waiting inside. I told him to not come with me. Instead, lovely Arrow escorted me here," she smiled  
  
"I see."  
  
"It was nothing, Lady Presea," Arrow said.  
  
"I'll go get Ferio and Fuu, too. You two go in. If you see Ascot and Lanna, tell them to go, too, please?"  
  
Hikaru smiled. "We'll come with you to get Fuu and Ferio. Is that okay?"  
  
Presea smiled and nodded. Then, the four of them walked up to Ferio and Fuu, who were staring the flower that Fuu was holding.  
  
"It's time to go in and eat," Presea told the couple.  
  
Ferio and Fuu looked up. Fuu nodded. "Thank you, Presea," she said. She then turned to Ferio. "Come on. Let's go."  
  
Ferio nodded, and took her hand, and the two followed Presea and Arrow back in. Suddenly, Ferio felt Fuu stop. He turned around.  
  
"What's wrong, Fuu?" he asked.  
  
"Umm... Hikaru?" Fuu asked.  
  
Hikaru stopped walking, and turned around to go back to Fuu. "What's wrong? Is there something wrong?" she asked. Then she saw that Fuu was looking at a small batch of flowers. "What's wrong?"  
  
Fuu pointed to a blue flower. "That flower..." she whispered.  
  
Ferio stared at the flower for a minute, in deep thought. "Hmm... Oh! Yes! I remember now. That's a _purin_. Why, Fuu? Do you like this flower too?"  
  
Fuu shook her head. "It... It's not that..." She then stared at it a little longer. "I just feel as if... this flower... represented something that I should've remembered. I feel as if I've seen it before somewhere."  
  
Ferio smiled and pulled Fuu's hand lightly. "Think about where you've seen it later. Aren't you hungry?"  
  
Fuu snapped herself out of her thoughts, and smiled. "Yes. Let's go."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Once they entered the room with the bright lights, they found that the table was set with food, and Eagle sitting down.  
  
"Where is Clef?" Fuu asked.  
  
"I am right here," Clef said softly.  
  
The group turned around, and their eyes widened, for Clef wasn't standing by himself. Next to him was a girl that looked his age. She had a regal look to her.  
  
"Umm... Clef?" Ferio asked. "Who is she?"  
  
Clef wrapped his arms around the girl's shoulders, and smiled happily. "Her name is Riana. She was the... pillar before Emeraude."  
  
Ferio's eyes soon showed recognition of the name, since it was of the story that Clef told him. "Oh... Wow, Clef. Did'ya make her?"  
  
Clef laughed. "No, Ferio. She's here. And she's here to stay."  
  
Hikaru and Fuu walked slowly up to Clef and Riana. "That's... the previous pillar?" Hikaru whispered.  
  
Clef nodded. "Yes, Hikaru."  
  
Hikaru stared at Riana. "Hello," she finally said after an eternity of silence.  
  
Clef looked at Hikaru. "Is something wrong?"  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "This... something... I don't know. I don't feel comfortable right now. Something... Something is wrong about this. It's not Miss Riana or anything," she said hastily. "I... I just have a weird feeling right now. A strange feeling..." her voice lowered to a whisper. "Something's... missing..."  
  
"Well, besides that, Guru Clef," Ferio said. "I thought Riana was... dead," he said in a flat voice.  
  
Clef nodded. "I have no clue how she came back to our world. The only explanation I have is that somebody had a will strong enough to bring her back."  
  
Ferio nodded, accepting this explanation.  
  
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Hikaru said, and turned to Clef. "Clef?" she asked. "When we went climbing on the mountain and visiting the village, we came up with this idea for a party. It'll be so much fun, too! Can we PLEASE have it? PLEASE?"  
  
Clef laughed. "Yes. Of course you can. After you have the invitation list down, what you need, and all that stuff, tell me and I'll help you arrange it."  
  
Hikaru nodded. "Thanks, Clef! You are the BEST!"  
  
"Well!" Presea said. "What are we waiting for! Let's go eat."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"How about we go visit the beach?" Fuu smiled.  
  
Ferio nodded. "Okay."  
  
"The beach..." Hikaru sighed happily. "It'd be so much fun to lie there without a care in the world."  
  
"And that's exactly why we came here," Fuu smiled. "To have fun without any sorrow."  
  
"I'll go, too," Presea said.  
  
"I would LOVE to see the ocean again, Clef," Riana smiled.  
  
Clef nodded. "Then I will escort you."  
  
"So I guess we're all going," Hikaru said. "I'm gonna bring some food."  
  
"I think we all should. We might stay there for a while to play, and we might get hungry," Fuu said.  
  
"But the beach and ocean is right next to the castle," Ascot said. "We can always come back to eat."  
  
"We DID eat at first, so we shouldn't be hungry for a while," Arrow said.  
  
"I'll still bring just a little bit of food, anyway," Hikaru said. "Just enough for a snack, I guess."  
  
Riana smiled and held onto Clef. "I want to see all of Cephiro. I want to see how much has changed here," she whispered. "I want to see... the land I had once protected. The land that I still love, and will now live in."  
  
"You can do that after we play at the beach!" Hikaru said happily. "I want to go have fun there now." she laughed. "Wouldn't it be wonderful to feel the cold water in your feet and splashing on your face on a nice day like this?"  
  
Presea smiled. "That's the kind of fun we'll do today."  
  
"Then we can plan the party later?" Fuu asked.  
  
Clef nodded. "We can do that later."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ I don't want them to cry. Like how I do inside because of the way I feel.  
  
I don't want them to see my tears, because I want to look strong for them.  
  
I don't want them to ever feel sorrow in their heart because they think that they are only.  
  
I don't want them to forget happiness of being near one that they love.  
  
In short...  
  
I don't want them to ever feel what I have to feel._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"AH!" Hikaru yelled as she slipped and fell into the cold water. "BRR!! It's FREEZING!" she yelled, wearing a t-shirt and shorts.  
  
"Then get out," Lantis said, sitting by the shore.  
  
Hikaru smiled and got up, shaking her head and spraying the water all around. "It's nice to jump around like this and not have a care in the world. Fuu?! What are you doing?!" she yelled. Fuu was staring at the water, as if scared to touch it.  
  
Ferio laughed. "Nothing's wrong with her. She just needs a small PUSH!" Ferio yelled, and lightly pushed Fuu in.  
  
Fuu shrieked as she stumbled into the ocean, though she didn't fall.  
  
Clef and Riana laughed. They were sitting down next to each other, watching everybody having fun.  
  
Clef took Riana's hand, and squeezed it. "I know that it's too soon, that you just came back a couple hours ago, but... I'm really happy you're here," he whispered.  
  
Riana smiled, and moved to sit closer to him.  
  
"It's like," he said. "You've always had me under your spell."  
  
Riana laughed. "You silly! But... I think I could say the same about you. If it were not for the job as a pillar, and the rules, I would have jumped into your arms and kissed you. But I couldn't... and I grew sick. And weak. I guess I willed myself to, so I couldn't be tempted to tell you how I felt about you."  
  
Clef wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I knew I never should have told you. If I didn't, then you wouldn't have to have felt that way. I'm sorry, Riana."  
  
"You said that many times, already, Clef. And you can't blame yourself for all that happened. After all, I'm to blame, too, for feeling this way about you."  
  
"Guru!" Eagle yelled, walking up to him. "It's a nice day, is it not?" he asked, the wind blowing against him.  
  
Clef nodded. "It is, Eagle. I am glad you feel welcomed here."  
  
"How can I not when Presea forces me to," he laughed. "She'd tell me how tense I am, and to just relax. I must say, it is nice see her so happy now that the magic knights are back for a visit. You can't believe how much she misses them."  
  
Clef laughed. "I'm sure that I can-"  
  
"Clef?" Riana asked. She looked at him.  
  
Clef had a shocked look on his face. He had stopped in the middle of his sentence, for he was staring straight at the ocean. It must've been his imagination, because he could've sworn... that he saw a girl standing out there, other than Fuu and Hikaru. He could've sworn that he saw a girl with blue hair standing out there.  
  
"Clef?" Riana asked once more, snapping Clef out of his trance.  
  
Clef looked at Eagle and Riana, seeing worrisome expressions on their faces. He shook his head, and somehow, his own worries left in an instant. "I apologize, Eagle. I... My eyes were playing tricks on me. But... what was I saying?" he asked.  
  
Eagle laughed. "Has your memory been getting rusty lately, Guru Clef?"  
  
"No!" Clef said, laughing along. "Though I must say, my age sure can count for something."  
  
"Haha! Fooled ya! Fooled ya!" Hikaru yelled out at the ocean, with a wet Presea sitting in the water in front of her. Hikaru was laughing and jumping at the sight of it.  
  
Persea growled. "That was not funny, Hikaru!" she yelled, and got up, chasing after Hikaru, who was running around in the water with cat ears and a tail, having the time of her life. "I'll get you and SHOVE your face into the water! Or should I catch a fish and make it sit on you?! Ohh... the things I will do when I get a hold of you!" she said, listing off ways to torture her. Not that Hikaru was listening of course, when she was still laughing her head off.  
  
Fuu smiled at the sight of that. "They must be having fun," she said, standing in the water now. Suddenly, Fuu gasped. A vision of blue hair entered her mind. Fuu shook her head, erasing the image from her mind. "Must be a mirage or something," she whispered to herself. "Not that we are in the desert, of course..."  
  
"What is?" Ferio asked. He wasn't wearing any armor. Just his regular clothes.  
  
Fuu shook her head, smiling, totally forgetting about what she had just saw. "Nothing. I'm just so happy."  
  
"For some reason, we all are. Once you two came back, the entire world smiled upon us. Nothing bad has happened since."  
  
"It's like a dream," Fuu said, agreeing with what Ferio said. "A dream... which is quite a reality. I'm going to be quite sad to go back home," she sighed.  
  
"Do you... Do you really have to go?" he asked.  
  
Fuu smiled and waded closer to him. "There's things that we have to do, even if we don't want to. But... Going home is something I want to do. My family is there, and I love them to the ends of the world. They cared for me, just as I care for them."  
  
Ferio hugged her. "And just as I care for you," he whispered. "You'll come back to me, Fuu? Please?"  
  
Fuu smiled, and hugged him back. "As always, I will." Suddenly, Fuu backed up a bit. She stared past Ferio. "Is that really Riana?" she asked.  
  
Ferio turned around, to see Clef and Riana sitting together. "I don't know. I'm sure that it is. After all, Clef recognizes her."  
  
"Is she really the only one he has ever loved?"  
  
Ferio nodded. "Unless there's more that he didn't tell me."  
  
"It's so weird, though... that she came back. I thought you said she was dead."  
  
"Join the club," he muttered. "But come on! Let's just enjoy this, okay? You're here, and I want you to enjoy it as much as you can while you can still stay."  
  
"Hey, guys!" Hikaru yelled from the beach. "It's time to go!"  
  
"Aww... already?" Fuu asked.  
  
"YES! Come on!" Hikaru yelled.  
  
Fuu and Ferio nodded. And together, they walked back to the beach.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ I want them to never have any worries. If anything should come up in their minds, make them forget.  
  
I want Fuu and Ferio to stay happy together.  
  
I want Hikaru to never cry over Lantis. That as long as they're together, they'll love each other truthfully.  
  
I want Eagle and Presea to show the world that opposites can still attract.  
  
I want... I want Clef to... be happy. And in order for that to happen, Riana has to come back. I want her back. I want her alive once more so that he can fall in love with her once more.  
  
I want Ascot to forget about me. I'm not good enough for anybody, so let him find somebody else.  
  
I want Caldina and La Farga to love each other without regrets.  
  
To put it in a way where I can just say it all in a second...  
  
I want them to be happy and in love.  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
After dinner, Lantis sat down on the bed in Hikaru's room.  
  
"Hikaru?" he asked.  
  
"Yes?" Hikaru was standing outside at the balcony, looking up at the beautiful starry night.  
  
Lantis walked up to her. "Do you love me?" he asked.  
  
Hikaru turned to look at him, and hugged him. "Yes," she whispered. "I do. Why? Do you love me?"  
  
Lantis nodded. "I do. It's just that... If I ask you to share your life with me for the rest of our lives, will you be willing to do so?"  
  
Hikaru sighed. "I come from another world," she whispered.  
  
"But you are also the pillar, and changed the entire system. You can fall in love now. You can be with me."  
  
"But I'm also from another world. I'm the pillar from another world."  
  
"If there is anything wrong with that, then tell me about it. I find that nothing is wrong with that."  
  
"But..." Hikaru whispered. "Our lives seem to last longer here than on Earth. If you had to wait for me for fifty, or even sixty, years, will you do so? Wait for me to come back to you?"Lantis smiled, and held her closer. "I can wait for as long as you want me to. My heart will always be with you."  
  
Hikaru's lips trembled, on the verge of tears. "I'm really glad to hear that. I'm really..."  
  
Then, all of a sudden, her eyes dried up. She smiled up at him. "What do you want to do now? It's nice to stare at the night sky, but not when there are distractions."  
  
Lantis took her hand. "Do you want to ride, then, into the night sky? We can take my animal."  
  
Hikaru nodded excitedly. "That'll be the best thing to do! Let's go now! Can we? Can we?"  
  
Lantis laughed. "Yes. We can."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Fuu was taking a night walk in the gardens. She smiled at the flowers swaying to the wind, and listened to the wind telling her things.  
  
"It IS a nice night, isn't it?" she whispered.  
  
Suddenly, Fuu looked down, and saw the same flower she saw before.  
  
"It's the _Purin_..." she whispered. She bend down, and touched the petals. "No matter what, I could've sworn... I KNOW that this flower represents something. Something..." she strained her thoughts, trying to remember what it was. Fuu sighed in exasperation. "It's hopeless, besides-" Suddenly, her anxiety left her. "I have Ferio here to help me through everything," she smiled.  
  
"Did you say my name?"  
  
Fuu turned around. Ferio was walking towards her.  
  
"Ferio! I was just thinking about you," she said, running into his arms.  
  
"What are you doing here? All by yourself?" he asked.  
  
"I wanted to look at the gardens, that's all. Aren't they beautiful? They're as lovely at night as they are during the day. Some glistening with the moonlight, while others flow with the wind that blows against them. None are the same shape or color. Each and every one of them are different. Just like everybody around."  
  
Ferio nodded. "Just like everybody around," he agreed. "Fuu? Do you have something on your mind?"  
  
Fuu shook her head. "Why?"  
  
"I don't know. Just wanted to say something, I guess. Oh! What did you do with the flower that I gave you?" he asked.  
  
"I took it off before we went to the beach. But the earring you gave me... I have it with me right now," she said, showing him her ear. "Now, for some reason, I can bring it with me to my world. So now... we'll always be connected to each other."  
  
Ferio smiled. "That's great."  
  
Fuu then realized something. "Oh! Let's go plan that party me and Hikaru thought of. We already know that we want to invite those people down by the village because they were so nice and everything."  
  
"What else would you want?"  
  
"Let's have music! Wonderful music that EVERYBODY would want to dance to. To love to listen to and move their bodies..." Suddenly, Fuu came up with the best part. "And... let's make it a masquerade!"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"People will wear masks to go there. Concealing their faces."  
  
"Maybe we should ask Hikaru about this too?"  
  
"Yes. I know. But wouldn't that make it more fun?"  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well, you'll be dancing with somebody you won't know. It'll be a nice challenge."  
  
Ferio smiled. "It sounds like fun, I'll give you that."  
  
Fuu looked down at the _purins_. "I think I'll keep one in my pocket," she muttered to herself, and plucked one up. She then put it into her pocket, and turned back to Ferio. "Anyway, about the party..."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef was searching in his books.  
  
"Clef?" Riana asked, walking into his study. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm looking for an answer as to why you came back, Riana, but there doesn't seem to be an answer to that..."  
  
Riana sighed, and touched his shoulders. "Do you want me here with you, or not, Clef?" she asked.  
  
Clef's eyes widened. "I want you here with me! Of COURSE I do. Why ask such a thing?"  
  
"Then why question my being here, Clef? What if you find your answer, and it's not a good thing? Then what if I disappear because of it? Leave it be, Clef. Please. I am begging you."  
  
Clef sighed. "I... I feel very uncomfortable not knowing, Riana... I'm sorry."  
  
Riana kneeled down next to him, so she could see him at eye level while he was sitting down. "Please. Just be glad that I am here with you. I know I am glad to see you once again. To see your face. Especially at the beach, you smiling at me. I don't want you to worry about anything else, Clef. Can't you just be happy? Be happy with me?"  
  
Clef smiled at her. "I'll be happy. For both of us. Besides, how can I not when you are here, looking at me?"  
  
Riana smiled back. "I love you," she whispered, and started to bend her head closer to his.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ Take away their worries. Once they start to have one, take it away. Quickly.  
  
Take away their fears. Take them away, and burn it.  
  
Take away their uncertainties, and make sure they FEEL certain.  
  
Take away their discouragements, and give them confidence.  
  
Take away the coldness they feel, and warm up their souls.  
  
The loneliness and frightfulness that I feel should only be felt by me. Don't ever let them experience anything like that. If they do, chop it into tiny pieces.  
  
Have them smiling all the time. I want them happy forever. Till eternity stops. I don't want them to cry.  
  
I don't want them to have to feel as if they are lonely.  
  
I don't want them to think that there is such a thing like those feelings in this world.  
  
This...  
  
This is what you must do for me..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_Creepy wishes that she's making, really. What's going to happen? Will Umi come back. Will there be a story if she doesn't, really? Haha. Well, please review!!! You'll make this author REALLY happy if you do!!!! ^_^_


	8. Shattered Glass

_Oh, Yay! Chapter EIGHT is up!!! ^_^ I'm going kinda fast with this fic. Hmm... I think it'll be done after a few more chapters... We'll have to see now, won't we?  
  
Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth the series doesn't belong to me. The series belong to CLAMP, whom I think do a VERY good job on all of their series. The sucky poem, though, does belong to me.  
  
Kaiya: Haha. Bite you back in the... haha. ^_^  
  
Mitsuko Hime: Don't shut up! The world would be a more quiet place if everybody shuts up... and that kind of a world scares me... *nods head hastily in fear of such a thing* And all those questions about my fic will be answered as you continue to read! Hehe.  
  
T.L. Umi R.: Because there IS more to it! I ain't stopping here! *grins*  
  
Bearit: Yeah... I AM evil. People don't like cliffhangers, and I really gotta stop using them. But where will the fun be in that?! *grins evilly when suddenly readers throw tomatoes at Drkdemon* AH!  
  
Ghettoangel: Awwww... thanks! Yeah, I'm working pretty fast with this story. And don't worry about spelling. When you're talking online, there's nuthin else 2 do but misssspell every othar word. ^_^  
  
Aylee the Dragon: OOooo... The masquerade. Hehe. I think you'll like that part- oops! No more hints! *scolds self*  
  
Shazzam: Maybe you can write a story on that whole Hikaru and cat ears thing. Haha! I'll be one of the first ones to read it!!!  
  
Digi*girl: Good. I'm glad you hate Riana, cause I hate her too! *sees readers looking at Drkdemon weird, since Drkdemon was the one who created Riana* Oh, wells!!! *shrugs*  
  
Nikki: It is? Awwww... *gets totally uncomfortable, but extremely happy, when Drkdemon receives comments* Thanks!! ^_^  
  
Kate: Doesn't everybody? I'll kidnap them and send them to you, kay?! ^_^  
  
Neko-chan: You needn't wait any longer!!! *stands in a cheesy and corny way with a finger in the air* CHAPTER EIGHT IS UP!!!!!!  
  
Immortal Ninja: Oh, geez... Another good comment... Haha. Well, I'm glad you like it!  
  
Lastat: *looks at script* Uh huh... *mutters mutters* Yes! I DO have something planned, and you're just going to have to read ALL the way to the end to see what you think about it! ^_^  
  
Akimi Kaori: Thanks. ^_^ *doesn't know what to say when receives comments, because Drkdemon truly thinks that Drkdemon doesn't deserve such nice things said about Drkdemon and Drkdemon's fics (I think I'm gonna get scolded for saying that...)*  
  
Oh, I hope that I didn't offend anybody from what I said to them. And if I did... I'd really like to know how... because I don't think I mentioned anything BAD... other than cliffhangers. Hehehe... *laughes evilly* And no need to worry!!! Sugar level is just VERY high!!!  
  
_

*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**_Untitled_**  
  
_Broken pieces of hearts and minds  
Broken stories of thoughts and signs  
Broken words that never reaches your mouths  
Broken personalities, just don't pout  
  
Shattered images of your friends  
Shattered adventures don't reach the end  
Shattered cries that stops at your ears  
Shattered hopes that turns to fears  
  
Realization of the real life and world  
Realization, just let it all unfurl  
Realization of what's to come to mind  
Realization of the love you wish to find..._  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter Eight: Shattered Glass**  
  
Clef held his hand in front of Riana's face, stopping her actions.  
  
"Clef?" she asked. After a moment of silence passed, she sighed, and got up. "It was just like before, when you first saw me. You won't let me kiss you. Is there something that you regret right now that is making you hold back?"  
  
Clef stared at her, and then he looked down. "I..." he managed to get out.  
  
"Why don't you let me show you affection? What's wrong, Clef?" she asked, turning around to look at him.  
  
"Well, don't you think that it is too soon, Riana? Because-"  
  
Riana turned to look at him. "We had to suffer for CENTURIES, Clef, and finally find each other once more! What do you mean too soon?!"  
  
"I think it is too soon, Riana. I only found you once again today. We shouldn't rush into things," he told her.  
  
Riana shook her head. "There's something... something that is keeping you from doing anything with me other than hugging and holding hands. What is it?" she asked him. "Is it me? Am I doing something wrong?"  
  
Clef shook his head. He got up and walked behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry," he told her softly, "but you're going to have to give me some time. Until I'm ready, you'll have to wait."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Lanna and Ascot walked along the hallways of the castle. She smiled at him. "Are you glad that the knights have come back?" she asked.  
  
Ascot stared at her. "What makes you ask?! Of COURSE I am. I am so grateful to them for so many things. For everything that they did for me. For us."  
  
"Really? For us?" she asked.  
  
"If they never came, then they would have never fought against me. And against your country. So if they never came, then the two of us would've never had a chance to meet. So how could you say that I can't be grateful to them about us?"  
  
Lanna smiled. "That was a very long 'yes, I am grateful to them for us.' Hahaha," she laughed.  
  
"So, yes, I am glad to see them again. Though I must say, it's a bit more calmer these days than before."  
  
"Watch out, Ascot," she smiled, warning him a bit. "You'll eat those words one day."  
  
"I know I will," he smiled back.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Meanwhile, Hikaru and Lantis had just gotten back to the castle.  
  
"That's was great..." she whispered, out of breath. "The way the wind kept blowing against us. It was exhilarating."  
  
Lantis smiled. "As long as you're happy."  
  
"As long as all of us are happy," she corrected him.  
  
The two landed down back on the balcony to Hikaru's room.  
  
"Hikaru?" Fuu asked, peeking into the room.  
  
Hikaru turned around, and saw Fuu standing outside the door. Hikaru grinned, and quickly ran up to her. "Yes?" she asked.  
  
"I just wondered... would you want the party to be a masquerade? You know, wear a mask and all?" Fuu asked eagerly.  
  
Hikaru laughed. "That's a GREAT idea!" she exclaimed.  
  
"I know! And then-"  
  
Suddenly, Fuu felt a pain stab in her head, and she quickly held her head with her two hands. Oh, no. Not again... Not another vision coming in. But no matter what she wished, the vision came, a clear image in her mind. This one was of a girl. A girl... Blue hair. Holding the flower. The sparkling blue flower... The _purin_... She KNEW she saw it somewhere. SHE KNEW!! That flower... The blue hair... Fuu held her head in pain as the visions came rushing back.  
  
"Fuu?!" Hikaru asked.  
  
Fuu back up from Hikaru to a wall, trying to close her mind off of what she was seeing. But still, the visions kept coming. Her dreams... they started to break. Fuu fell to the ground on her knees, her whole happy stay at Cephiro shattering. Her entire life and adventures in Cephiro. All those events... shattering like broken glass.  
  
"Fuu?!" Hikaru asked, bending down. "Fuu, what's wrong?! Are you okay?! Is something wrong?!"  
  
Fuu gasped in shock. She started to shiver violently, and hugged herself, trying to stop it, her eyes wide with surprise. She then started to shake her head. "She didn't," she whispered. "She couldn't. She's not that strong! She... Sh-she... SHE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT!!!" she yelled.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ Umi... There is no such thing as true happiness forever. Not in the real world. You need even a little bit of worry once in a while.  
  
Utopia is of the mind. It can't exist where you wanted it to exist...  
  
Did you know that, Umi? You can't wish for happiness forever. You can't hope for everyone to always be happy. Did you know that? It's impossible to wish for true happiness 24/7. There's no such thing.  
  
People need to cry once in a while. If you want them to be truly happy all the time, then you want the impossible. It's not possible to erase worries from your friends' minds. It's not possible to disappear, and hope that everything will be fine...  
  
Did you know that, Umi? That you wished for the impossible? And that impossibility will continue to stay as the impossible?  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Ascot heard voices yelling down the hall. "It sounds like Fuu..." he muttered to himself. Her voice sounded upset, so he knew that he had better get down there quickly. He had started to run down the empty hallways when he felt something run through his head.  
  
_"I love you... enough to be a good friend... But not enough... to get into anything deep..."_  
  
"Those words..." he whispered, and stopped running. His eyes widened as those words went through his head once more. And then, he realized what they meant to him. "Re... rejection..."  
  
Suddenly, a picture came to view. A girl will flowing blue water-like hair. Always smiling at him. Trying to show him what's right.  
  
_"Because it just seems that you love me as you would love a mother or friend, Ascot."_  
  
"I... I know her..." he whispered. Ascot had stopped running down the hall. Instead, he held his head, and walked to a wall, trying to keep himself from falling down.  
  
_"Listen to those words that you say. That is what a mother would do to her son or daughter."_  
  
"I... I..." Ascot whispered. "Who..." he strained.  
  
_"Yeah, you'd say a friend is there to do that, too. But friends are only there to help you along that way. You love me as a friend, Ascot."_  
  
Suddenly, the images came rushing back. And then, Ascot saw a clearer image of blue, water-colored hair. He saw that hair lead to a face. A body. And then... memories. Her voice... Her heart... Her way of showing him what's right.  
  
Ascot's eyes widened. He saw a picture of Lanna in his head. And as he looked at her picture, it shattered, and he imagined the pieces blowing away with the wind as everything started to come together.  
  
Gone. Lanna was gone. She wasn't... she couldn't... She's... Ascot's eyes filled, and he collapsed onto the ground.  
  
"She... she wanted me..." he whispered fiercely. "HOW COULD SHE WANT ME TO FORGET HER?!?!?"  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef heard loud and upset voices coming from upstairs.  
  
"What..." he muttered to himself. Riana looked up at him from his embrace.  
  
"Are you going to go check it out?" she asked.  
  
Clef nodded. "It's my job to. Will you stay here and wait for a minute? I am sure they are playing jokes on each other. It won't take TOO long, I hope."  
  
Riana nodded. "Do what you must, but come back to me... Please?"  
  
Clef smiled. "You know I will."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"A dream... A dream... A dream... A dream... A dream..." Fuu whispered, sitting on the floor and crying her heart out.  
  
"Fuu? Please. Please don't cry..." Hikaru tried. "Tell us what's wrong..."  
  
Fuu shook her head, as if in shock. She looked up at Hikaru, through her tears. "Hikaru..." she whispered. "She made us forget. She made us forget about her..."  
  
Hikaru held onto Fuu's shoulders and stared at her. "What do you mean, Fuu? Who made us forget? Who?"  
  
Fuu slowly reached into her pocket, and showed Hikaru the flower. "This..." she whispered.  
  
Hikaru stared at the flower, trying to remember its name. "Isn't that a... _purin_?" she asked.  
  
Fuu nodded. "You have to remember, Hikaru. Don't you remember anything about this flower? Don't you remember... her?" she whispered.  
  
Hikaru took the flower from Fuu, and stared at it carefully. Nothing. She didn't feel NOTHING about it. "Look, Fuu," she said, going back to worrying over Fuu, instead of pondering what this blue flower might be. "I just think that-" Suddenly, a thought went through her head, and her eyes widened, as if not believing what she was going to say. Slowly, she looked back down at the _purin_. "Somebody..." she whispered. "Somebody... LOVED this flower."  
  
Fuu nodded, encouraging Hikaru to think hard on it some more. "The ocean... Remember the ocean?"  
  
Hikaru stared at the flower, and then at Fuu's saddened face. Then back at the flower. "The ocean..." she whispered, straining her thoughts. "The ocean... I... I KNOW something about this. I just have to remember..."  
  
Fuu held onto Hikaru. "She made us forget, Hikaru!" she cried. "UMI made us forget about HER!!!!"  
  
Hikaru's eyes widened. "Umi..." she whispered, and then... "Oh, God...!"  
  
_"You'll be my little sister from now on, okay?"_  
  
"This isn't real..."  
  
_"ICE SWORD!!"_  
  
"She created an illusion for us..."  
  
_"Don't you DARE MAKE ME HARM HIKARU OR FUU!!!"_  
  
"She... she wanted us to be happy?!"  
  
_"I need magic... Magic to help HIKARU!!"_  
  
"She..." Hikaru whispered. "I... I'm the _pillar_. How could she DO THIS?!"  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef ran down the hallways, and reached Hikaru and Fuu's rooms. There, by their doorways, he found the Fuu crying, holding onto a shocked Hikaru.  
  
Ferio and Lantis turned around, and saw Clef. "Guru! You must help them!!" Ferio said, and ran up to Clef. "Something's wrong with them!"  
  
"What happened?!" he asked, concerned.  
  
"I don't know. They keep talking about... this _girl_... Can you help them?"  
  
Clef walked up to Hikaru and Fuu. Fuu was still crying, but Hikaru was able to slowly look up at Clef.  
  
"Clef?" she whispered.  
  
"Yes, Hikaru?"  
  
"Am I the pillar?" she asked in a soft voice.  
  
"Yes, Hikaru. You are the pillar."  
  
"Can ANYBODY have a stronger will than me?"  
  
Clef shrugged. "I truly don't know."  
  
"I..." Hikaru stared at the flower in her hand. She then held it up to Clef. "Clef?" she asked again.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Do you recognize this?" she whispered. "Do you remember ANYTHING about somebody saying something about this flower? Somebody reaching out to this flower? Loving it? Saying it was beautiful? Do you... do you remember?"  
  
Clef cocked his head to one side in confusion. "Isn't this a _purin_? Didn't Fuu ask about this flower?" he mused out loud.  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "Do you..." she said softly. "Remember anybody else? Anybody?!"  
  
Clef took the flower from Hikaru's hand. "This flower..." he whispered. Then, he got up, and went to Ferio. "I think that somebody put a spell of some sort on this-"  
  
"GURU!! GURU!!!"  
  
Clef looked past Ferio and Lantis, and saw that Lanna was running up to him with a grave look on her face. "Oh no..." he muttered to himself. "What else can happen now?"  
  
"Guru," Lanna gasped after she stopped. "Something... Something is wrong with Ascot!" she said. "He... He was sitting in the hallway with an injured look on his face! He wouldn't look at me at all! He wouldn't say anything either!"  
  
"Something is wrong..." Clef whispered.  
  
"We realized that already, Guru," Lantis said. "What we need now is to do something about this! We can't have these people going crazy all over the place!"  
  
"I know that!" Clef said.  
  
Suddenly, they heard Fuu talk. "The ocean..." she said.  
  
Hikaru stared at Fuu, and then let go of her, and an expression of recognition was coming up to her face.  
  
"The ocean?" Lantis asked. He ran up to Hikaru. "Hikaru! What is Fuu talking about?! What about the ocean?!"  
  
Hikaru turned to stay at Lantis. "The ocean... It's where she must be the strongest! She did it to us there! She was at the _ocean_!"  
  
Fuu and Hikaru then got up, and ran off. Clef, Lanna, Lantis, and Ferio quickly followed them.  
  
"What did they mean," Ferio asked as they chased after the two knights, "when they talked about the ocean?!"  
  
"No clue," Lantis said. "But you're right. It has something to do about a girl."  
  
"Well, whatever it is, I am quite sure we'll find out soon. VERY soon."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
  
_ And after one dream breaks, everything else will have to go along with it. One by one, it all falls apart. Nothing can stay perfect forever. Nothing... that is in the physical world, that is. Statues get eroded. The greatest kings have died. Fires destroyed forests. Humans... become tainted.  
  
Umi... Your world is collapsing. Your world is falling apart.  
  
Did you really think you did this by yourself, too? Did you really think you had that strong enough of a will to make this, and keep it this way?  
  
Don't you realize that there has been a mistake in what you did? In HOW you did this?  
  
You tried to help your friends, by making them forget about you, and your problems. And now... that dream of yours is shattering... along with your creation.  
  
Nothing can ever stay like this forever, Umi.  
  
Nothing...  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Hikaru and Fuu ran out of the castle, and down to the beach. There, they found...  
  
"Ascot!" Fuu gasped.  
  
Ascot turned around, and ran up to Hikaru and Fuu. "Hikaru... Fuu..." he whispered painfully. "She... she tried to set me up!"  
  
Hikaru nodded. "She wanted you to get over her...""Well, it didn't work," he whispered coldly.  
  
The rest of the group got to the beach shortly after.  
  
"ASCOT!!! Here you are!!!" Lanna cried, and ran up to hug him.  
  
Ascot pushed Lanna off of him. "Please," he choked. "Don't touch me..."  
  
Lanna stared at Ascot. "What?" she whispered. "What did you say?"  
  
"Get away from me..." he whispered. "You don't want to be near me. Not when I'm like this... Lanna," he stared at her. "I'm sorry..."  
  
"You better well be!" Presea shouted. She had caught up with them. "Cause I am NOT letting you OFF without an EXPLANATION!!!"  
  
"What is going on?!" Arrow asked. "Why are we all down here?!?"  
  
Hikaru ran up to the water, and she collapsed onto her hands and knees, getting herself wet. "Umi..." she whispered. _You can't DO THIS to us!!!! **"UUMMMIII!!!!!"**_  
  
Clef's eyes widened at the name. "Umi?!" he asked.  
  
Fuu turned around to stare at Clef. "Clef! You have to remember her! Don't you remember her?!?! FORGET THIS DREAM!!! The purin!!! Umi!!! Don't you remember when you first met her?!?!" she asked desperately.  
  
Clef stared down at the devastated girl in front of him. "Fuu," he said. "Don't you worry. We're going to help you and Hikaru and Ascot out. That's what-"  
  
_ "Hold on, buddy! 'Children'?! You're the one that looks about TEN!!"  
  
"ME?! A child?!"_  
  
The words rang inside Clef's mind, stopping him in mid-sentence. The response he had to what that first statement was.  
  
_ "You mean I'm stuck here forever?! With the flying fish and this geezer-aged KID?!"  
_  
"Clef?" Fuu whispered.  
  
"You mean..." he whispered, his eyes widening.  
  
_ "You may be older than us, but we're taller than you!"  
_  
"She had the power to DO this?!"  
  
_ "I can't force myself to love him, or anybody else."  
_  
"So Riana..." he whispered, the realization dawning onto his head. He tried to ignore the voices and the words that kept forming in his head. "So R... Riana..."  
  
Fuu nodded, tears forming once more. "Riana... isn't real..." she whispered. "Umi... She wanted you to be happy."  
  
_ "It's... warm... But... who..."  
_  
Clef then turned his head, to stare at the ocean. He watched as the waves clashed against one another. He watched as Hikaru cry as she slammed her fists down at the water. The water... It can be so calm when it wants to be, and yet so deadly and dangerous the next second.  
  
_ "Purin... It's beautiful..."  
_  
"That's right..." Clef said, and stared at the flower in his hand. "This... This... _purin_. Umi..." he whispered. And then, after a while, he finally said one more thing. "I want her back," he stated.  
  
Fuu nodded. "I don't WANT a world without her! Even if she causes us to worry about her, I want her back!"  
  
"She wanted to protect me against Alcione!" Hikaru said, getting up. "I know she's going through a rough time, and I want to BE there for her!! JUST LIKE WE ALL PROMISED!!!"  
  
"So she rejected me! So what?!" Ascot said. "I STILL care for her!"  
  
"Who is SHE?!?" Lanna yelled, running back up to Ascot. "Who is this girl that you keep talking about, Ascot?! WHO IS SHE?!?"  
  
Ascot stared down at Lanna, and his eyes turned painful. He grabbed a hold of her, and held her close. "If this wasn't a dream..." he whispered, his eyes narrowing in pain. "I would truly love you..."  
  
Lanna stared at Ascot, and her eyes formed tears. "What is this about, Ascot?"  
  
Ignoring her, Ascot turned to look at Clef. "How can we get her back, Clef?" he asked.  
  
"LOOK AT ME, ASCOT!!!" Lanna yelled, and pulled his face to hers. Ascot stared at her. Then she asked, "Now what is going on?"  
  
Ascot took Lanna's hands, and pulled them off. "Leave me alone," he whispered. "I don't want to see you anymore..." _It'll hurt me even more..._  
  
As if on cue from the depression all around, dark clouds started to formed around the night sky.  
  
"What is going on, guru?!" Ferio yelled, running up to him.  
  
Clef turned to stare at Ferio. He then pointed two fingers at his forehead.  
  
_What do you see?_ he asked him, and then, gave an image of Umi to Ferio.  
  
"What... I see?" Ferio asked. "Who is she?! Is she the one who's causing all of this?!"  
  
_LOOK AT HER!!!_ Clef yelled.  
  
After a minute of thought, Ferio's eyes widened. "She looks familiar," he whispered.  
  
"We know her, Ferio," Clef's voice cracked a bit as he said those words. "Don't you remember her? Don't you remember?"  
  
Ferio sighed. "Everybody seems to be talking about SOME girl lately. Actually, more like in the past hour."  
  
"You're not paying attention," Clef said out loud.  
  
Fuu ran up to Ferio.  
  
"Fuu..." he said.  
  
"Ferio, if I made you forget me... If I made you love somebody else, and you found out about my doings, what would you do?" she asked.  
  
Clef moved back, away from them. He walked up to Hikaru, and put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
Hikaru turned around. "Clef..." she whispered.  
  
"What do you want to do?" he asked her.  
  
"I want Umi back," she whispered. "She broke her promise. I'm hurting right now, and she's not here for me... We made a promise. We said we'd protect each other for now and ever. And she broke it! She didn't protect us! She HURT US!!! _SHE BROKE HER PROMISE!!!_"  
  
With those words, Hikaru looked around, and saw that Cephiro started to grow dark with the clouds threatening to pour on them, thundering up above. It was breaking. It was all finally breaking.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"What would I do?" Ferio asked.  
  
"Yes.""I'd be quite mad at you for wanting me to not love you," he whispered. "Do you hate me or something, Fuu?" he asked, taking her hand.  
  
Fuu shook her head. "You have to remember her. Don't you remember Umi? The THIRD knight? I know you do."  
  
Ferio's eyes widened, as if in recognition of something. Umi's will on him was broken. He realized, and he knew what had happened to them all. Then, Ferio's eyes squinted, as if in pain, and he sighed. "She shouldn't have done this to us," he said finally. "I would've loved you with everything in the first place," he whispered, and hugged her.  
  
Fuu's eyes widened, and then, she closed them. "Ferio... I want her back."  
  
Ferio nodded.  
  
"NO!!! LANNA!!!"  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"NO!!! LANNA!!!" Presea yelled.  
  
Lanna looked at her hand, and her eyes widened. He hand was fading away.  
  
"What... what's going on?!" she choked. "Why... Why am I..."  
  
Presea ran up to Lanna. "You can't leave!"  
  
Lanna turned to look at Ascot. "Why aren't you saying anything?" she whispered. "Are you glad that this is happening to me?"  
  
Ascot stared at her, and shook his head.  
  
Ferio, Fuu, Hikaru, and Clef walked up to them. Hikaru and Fuu had tears streaming out of their eyes. Ferio and Clef looked as if they were going to be sick.  
  
"You all wished for this to happen to me, didn't you?!" Lanna yelled, and collapsed onto the floor, holding her hands out, looking at them.  
  
Clef slowly walked up to Lanna, and then knelt down next to her. He brought her face up, and held to fingers to her forehead.  
  
"Do you want to see the truth?" he whispered.  
  
Lanna looked up at him, tears brimming on her cheeks. She nodded. "Yes, Guru Clef," she whispered. "I do."  
  
Ascot turned away. "I..." he whispered. "I'm sorry."  
  
Lanna closed her eyes.  
  
This is the truth. Clef told her. _I will show you what is real... and let you know now that we are going through a dream..._ The dark clouds in the sky were rumbling, threatening to let loose.  
  
After a couple of minutes, Lanna's eyes opened, tears flowing once more. "No," she whispered. The entire arm had faded away and her elbows were slowly disappearing.  
  
Ascot still wouldn't look at her. Lanna got up, and disconnected her contact with Clef. She ran up to Ascot. "TELL ME!!! Am I... a FAKE?!?! I was made up by a little GIRL'S WISH?!?!" she yelled.  
  
"Please, Lanna. You're upset right now," Presea said.  
  
"Of COURSE I AM!!! YOU, on the other hand, STILL don't have a clue as to what's going on, do you?!" Then she turned back to Ascot. "This is why I am disappearing, huh?! And you LOVE her! After her rejection, you still love her! A GIRL who cannot even do a spell and have it last for a DAY! How could you?!" she yelled at him. "You..."  
  
"There is nothing I can do about it," Ascot finally whispered.  
  
Lanna laughed at him. "So, Ascot," she said coldly. "Are you ready to eat those words that you told me earlier? No excitement, huh?! Is this exciting enough for you?!" she yelled at him, and then collapsed back onto the ground. "Oh, my God... I'm not real. I'm not _real_..."  
  
Arrow walked up to them. "What does she mean?" he asked. "Why is she not real? What does she mean by that?! Why aren't you guys helping her?! She's FADING AWAY!!" he yelled.  
  
Eagle walked up to Presea. She stared at him. "What's going on?" she whispered. "Why is this happening?!"  
  
Eagle shook his head. "I have no clue..." he said. "But... why aren't you guys doing anything?!" he yelled at the rest of them.  
  
Lanna looked up at Eagle, and smirked. "How can they? All they can do is wait. Wait for the fake to become real. And reality shall take over, as it should be. Dreams are dreams, and must end sooner or later."  
  
"So, this is it then?" Fuu asked.  
  
Clef nodded. "This... fantasy that she built is falling apart. After it is gone, she'll have to appear sooner or later. We'll fix whoever's left afterwards. Like Presea. She'll understand what's happening soon."  
  
"But... how did she DO this?!" Ferio asked. "She's not that strong... is she?"  
  
Clef shrugged. "I had no clue," he whispered. "I... I had no clue that her will was this strong..."  
  
"We should do something other than to stand here," Ascot said.  
  
"Of course," Lanna sneered. "After all, what is the fun of watching us disappear?" Almost all of her arms were gone. She tried to sneer once more, but lost it as she slowly got up. Lanna walked to stare at Ascot's face. "Did you ever love me?" she whispered.  
  
Ascot stared down at the disappearing woman. He swallowed, and then, nodded. "Yes," he whispered. "I did love you, Lanna."  
  
Lanna smiled sadly, and nodded. "Thank you, Ascot," she whispered. "At least... At least I will have that thought with me." Then, she kissed him, and walked away.  
  
"I won't believe this!" Arrow yelled. "I-" Suddenly, he felt something from his hand. Arrow slowly looked down, and his eyes widened. "No," he whispered. His hand was already fading away. "What's going on?!"  
  
Lanna stared at Arrow. "It's time to go," she whispered. "Those that are fake must be revealed sooner or later. Let's see who else will fade along with us." Lanna now started to look like a ghost. Her skin was becoming clear.  
  
"I... I don't understand," he said.  
  
Clef walked up to him. "I can show you, as well as how I showed Lanna. You saw the outcome though. Are you ready?" he whispered.  
  
Arrow nodded. "I don't want to be confused about this. Even if it's a bad thing, I want to know."  
  
Clef held two fingers to Arrow's forehead, and both of their eyes closed. _You want to see, so I will now TRULY open your eyes._  
  
After a couple of minutes, Arrow's eyes shot open. "Oh... my God..." he whispered.  
  
Lanna stared at him. "Looks like you don't like what you saw either. Which part was it?" she asked.  
  
"Guru!" Presea said, running up to him. "Show me, too! I NEED to know what is going on!"  
  
Clef stared at Presea, and shook his head. "You won't need me to show you. You'll remember soon enough. Umi's coming..."  
  
Presea backed up a bit. "Umi?"  
  
Suddenly, the sky started to rumble. And then, the droplets of water fell.  
  
Lanna sighed. She stared at her body, the water dropping into and through her. "It's all over... I'm gone..."  
  
And with the first droplets of water into the dark ocean, a shining blue light started to glow in a spot, forming a small circle. From that circle, a figure started to form. It started to melt into a form of a body.  
  
Clef stared at this through the rain. _Umi?!_  
  
"And everything that shall be awaken, will wake," Riana whispered. "This can't be! THIS CAN'T BE!!" she yelled.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_Yeah... That's it. Oh... another cliffhanger... *kind of hides away in case readers come back with tomatoes* Well, wait about another week or so. The next chapter will be up soon. Can you all guess what Riana truly is? Ladadeda... Hehehe. ^_^ Please review now!!! Please please please!!!_


	9. Awakened Truths

_Hi. You know what? I hate school. I hate finals. I hate everything!!! Especially Tuesday. Memo to self, mark Tuesday, January 15, 2002 to be the evilest day in the world!!!! Sorry. ^_^ You want explanation? First of all, I have finals/midterms/whatever-you-want-to-call-it, and Tuesday was the first of the three days. Other than that, It's one of those days where NOTHING GOES RIGHT!!!! Forgot my watch. Couldn't study during lunch. Lost my wallet. Recovered wallet but lost IDs and my ticket. THOSE were just SOME OF THE MANY THINGS THAT WENT WRONG!!! And when I say many, I MEAN many!!! Okay... *breathes in* I think I will be quiet now. ^_^ Happy reading! I'm a bit better now, cause I only have one final the next day and it's only for Phys. Ed.!! YEAH!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: The series Magic Knight Rayearth doesn't belong to me. The sucky poem does, though. And my usually large amount of bad luck too. Feel free to steal that last item!!!_  
  
_ T.L. Umi R.: I hate making cliffhangers. (That is an obvious lie. *devil horns pop up on head*) Though it shouldn't seem unusual. You and the others have been through so much of it. *grins*  
  
Rei: If it is a Clef/Umi you want, then maybe it will be a Clef/Umi you shall get! ^_^  
  
Yukishin: Riana is an a**hole, that's what. *nods head* Yeah... You wouldn't hear another author diss a character that he/she would create, but I guess I'm weird like that. *grins*  
  
Silver Dragonfly: And I DID write more! Here it is!! Oh, love your username! It's soooo cool!!!!  
  
Aylee the Dragon: Unfortunately, Umi went for a coffee break... No, just kidding! ^_^  
  
Kaiya: Yeah... I lied to Aylee. Umi didn't go to a coffee break. She went to the toy store to buy a blue dragon. *grins* JUST KIDDING!!!!  
  
Shazzam: Sillyness makes the world go round!!!! @_@ And makes me dizzy. Nah! But you SHOULD write a story on it! It'd be quite amusing!  
  
Digi*girl: Oh!!! Happy... *counts on fingers* BELATED B-DAY!!!! ^_^ And the only flames I really get are on cliffhangers... Aiyaa... hehe  
  
Bearit: Another thing on cliffhangers!!! Wow... Do you have any clue how many of those I pass by each time I update a chapter? Kinda tells me something... hehe  
  
Lastat: *gives her a tissue* Well... *also hands her next chapter* HERE YOU GO!!!  
  
Mitsuko Hime: *nods head* Yes, I must admit that tomatoes are very ineffective and threats are usual... much... *turns to look at her* Are you talking about... *points at self and squeaks* me? Oh dear. ^_^U Gotta run!!! (And about Riana getting on your hit list... Let's see how you feel after this chapter. ^_^)  
  
Marzy001: *takes a chain and wraps it around Umi and Clef many times* Here's your present!!!! *smiles even though Clef and Umi are glaring at Drkdemon evilly* I think I'll do this for ALL of the people who read my fics... Hmm... Hehe.  
  
Hildi-chan: I hate my cliffhangers too... They're putting me in so much trouble... T_T  
  
The 80lb Carrot: Mokona... WHAT A GOOD IDEA!!! *curses* Should have done that!  
  
Korosu: *sniff* THANKS A LOT!!!! Well, can't blame ya for sayin' those things! ^_^ Wells... Here's next chapter, so can you leave the killing for later? *runs outta there quickly*  
  
Trina: Thank you! ^_^ So nice!!! NO THREATS!!!!  
  
Neko-chan: NO! Don't worry!! Diss Riana as much as you want!!! ^_^  
  
Ghettoangel: Awww... I hate being grounded, too. Being grounded is evil. EVIL!!!!  
  
Akimi Kaori: *scrolls through script* Hmmm... Umi coming back... NOT HAPPENING!!! *sees readers with guns and runs for it* ACK!!!!_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**_Untitled_**  


  


_See the truth with opened eyes  
It's time to face it, no more lies  
Don't hide from yourself what can't be hid  
Take the falsities away, open the lid  
  
Time to see what's meant to be seen  
What has happened, what you have secretly dreamed  
Let go of your fears and don't turn away  
Hear the voices shout, hear them sway  
  
Go back to the past, or to the present  
It don't matter, just don't be hesitant  
Time to see the world for what it's meant to be  
Open your eyes, embrace the love you'll see_  
  
*~*~*~*~*~* **Chapter Nine: Awakened Truths**  
  
"This can't be!" Riana shouted. "THIS CAN'T BE!!!"  
  
The entire group turned around.  
  
"Riana!" Hikaru gasped. "When did YOU get here?"  
  
Riana shook her head, staring straight ahead at the ocean. "HOW?!?! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!?!" she shrieked.  
  
Clef ran up to Riana. "Riana!" he said. "Listen to me. You need to understand something-"Riana pushed him away. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!!" she shrieked. "You! You all did this, didn't you?!" she yelled. "YOU ALL CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN!!!"  
  
Fuu stared at her. "What?! What did we cause?!"  
  
"No..." Riana gasped in anger, shaking her head. "NO!"  
  
"Riana..." Clef whispered. "You don't understand. I KNOW how you were able to come back. We found out that-"  
  
Riana turned her head around to stare straight at Clef, causing him to silence himself. Then, she stared at Hikaru and Fuu. "You two..." she mumbled. "You two must have done it!" she yelled and ran straight at them.  
  
Ferio and Lantis got in front of them and held out their swords.  
  
"You will not harm Hikaru and Fuu," Lantis said.  
  
Riana stopped in her tracks, but that didn't mean that her fury was gone. "YOU TWO CAUSED THIS!!!" she continued yelling at Hikaru and Fuu. "I KNOW IT! I KNOW IT!!"  
  
"What is this about?!" Clef yelled.  
  
Suddenly, the water started to rumble louder where the blue light was shining. There, the body started to take form. Long, sleek blue hair was flowing out.  
  
Riana shook her head. "No," she whispered. "I won't take this!"  
  
Two long legs were forming. The height was forming to be about Fuu's height.  
  
"I WON'T LET HER COME BACK!!!" Riana yelled, and suddenly, she shot her arm out, and sent a spurge of power at the body. Once it made contact, the figure bent in pain.  
  
Clef grabbed onto Riana's arm. "What are you DOING, Riana?!" he demanded.  
  
"NO! I worked so HARD to get back here! I won't let her take it away from me! I won't!"  
  
"You... did what?" he whispered.  
  
"I won't have her coming back!! I WON'T!!!" And with those words, Riana jerked her arm away from Clef's grip, and ran to where the body was taking form. She stopped right at the edge of the water, glaring at the blue light that enveloped the form. "You didn't want to be lonely anymore!" she yelled. "I gave you your wish! I _helped you make it come true!!!_ Why must you be so selfish?!"  
  
"Selfish?" Hikaru whispered.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Fuu shouted. "Why isn't Riana fading away?" she asked. "Isn't she... Isn't she..."  
  
"I WON'T HAVE YOU TAKING ME AWAY!!!" Riana shouted, and sent another bolt of power at the form. The body bent in pain once more. "I'll KILL you before you can destroy this!" she yelled.  
  
"NO!" Fuu and Hikaru yelled, and ran up to Riana.  
  
Riana turned around. "YOU two stay AWAY!!!" she yelled, and sent a gust of wind, holding them back.  
  
Clef ran up to Riana. "SHIELD!!!" he yelled, blocking her blow. Getting up to her, he grabbed her arm, and jerked her. "I suggest you better explain right now, Riana, before I feel that I must FORCE you to."  
  
Riana's eyes widened. "How did you come up with a will strong enough to block my... No," she whispered, shocked at the realization of it all. "You couldn't! You can't betray me!!! Not like this!!!" she yelled, grabbing onto him. "Please, Clef!"  
  
Clef stared at her. "You still need to start explaining."  
  
Hikaru and Fuu walked up to her. "Yes, you do," Fuu whispered.  
  
Riana stared up at Fuu. And then at Hikaru.  
  
"NO!!! ARROW!!! LANNA!!!" Caldina yelled.  
  
Clef, Hikaru and Fuu turned around. Riana looked straight ahead. Caldina tried to grasp onto Arrow and Lanna, but now, they were almost gone, and her arms went right through them.  
  
Lanna looked around, and then closed her eyes. "Good-bye, everybody," she whispered, and then... she wasn't anymore.  
  
Arrow sighed, and nodded. "Such pain... Farewell, all." Shortly afterwards, he was gone, too.  
  
Clef turned around, and looked straight at Riana. "You are the only one who is left now. So there MUST be a reason why you are still here."  
  
Riana smirked. "Dear Clef..." she whispered. "Did you truly think that I died? That back then, you killed me?"  
  
Clef nodded. "Yes. I did."  
  
"Well, no big surprise there, I guess."  
  
"Riana?" he whispered. "What are you trying to say?"  
  
Riana stared at him. "I never died, Clef."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_OUCH! That HURT!!!_ Umi gasped. _Where... where am I? It feels... wet! But... I thought I was gone...  
  
There's yelling outside. Outside of where I am. I can hear it.  
  
And crying. Oh, no... There's crying, too! But... I don't want them to cry! What happened?!  
  
And right now, I can't move... Why can't I move?  
  
I wonder... did everything work? I'm really tired. And-  
  
AAAHHH!!!! Something's hitting me! Great... I STILL feel pain after I'm gone. This is SO not funny...  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef stared at her. "What?!" he then yelled. "Of COURSE you died!"  
  
Fuu watched as Clef and Riana were engaged in something. "Hikaru," she whispered. "I think we should go see Umi now."  
  
Hikaru nodded. "We promised we'd be there for each other. To help each other out! She wouldn't let us. I don't really think we'll give her the choice anymore."  
  
Fuu and Hikaru got up, and ran to the edge of the water. The form was a couple yards in, so the two waded in a bit.  
  
"Umi," Hikaru called out. "Umi. Can you hear me?!"  
  
The body was shimmering in a blue light, still floating.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_Somebody... Somebody is yelling at me, I think. Who can it be, though... I wonder if it's Hikaru, or Fuu. If it's them, then they must be mad at me. And that means... that it didn't work. Oh, no!  
_  
Umi started to cry inside. And then, all of a sudden, she heard the words clearly. The explanations. The... truth...  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"She can hear us," Fuu said. "I know she can."  
  
Hikaru nodded. "OH!" she said. "Don't you remember? When Clef found her and brought her back, and she woke up, she wouldn't talk. She COULDN'T talk to us. And Clef, then he used..."  
  
"His mind!" Fuu concluded.  
  
"NO YOU DON'T!!!"  
  
Fuu and Hikaru turned around, and suddenly, a blast of wind blew them away from the body, and back to the beach.  
  
Riana glared at them. "Taking advantage of my being away. That's awful!"  
  
Hikaru and Fuu groaned, trying to get up.  
  
"I've seen ENOUGH!" Ferio yelled, and took out his sword and ran at Riana.  
  
"HAVE YOU ALL NOT LEARNED?!" she yelled, glaring at Ferio. Suddenly, her eyes glowed, stopping Ferio in his tracks.  
  
"I..." he whispered. "I can't move!"  
  
The only ones that were left were La Farga, Caldina, Presea, Eagle, Lantis, and Ascot. "You did this!" Ascot whispered. "You did something!"  
  
Riana turned her eyes to the six of them, and they glowed once more. And this time, instead of having them freeze in their place, Riana made them fall down, asleep. But Ascot was still standing.  
  
"You already know what's going on," she growled. "If not, you'd be sleeping and dreaming, too."  
  
"I think that I've had enough dreams for now," he growled, and then chanted, "MONSTER SUMMON!!" as he unleashed one of his creatures at her.  
  
Riana held her hand up, and the creature disappeared. Ascot's eyes widen at this, and backed up a bit. Then, his eyes turned to slits. "If I can't have my friends help me," he whispered in a deadly voice. "Then I'll just do it myself!!!!" And with that, he ran towards her.  
  
Before Riana could do anything, Clef quickly got in front of her. "NO!" he yelled. "Wait, Ascot!"  
  
Ascot turned red at Clef's move. "How can you protect her?! AFTER WHAT SHE DID?!" he yelled.  
  
"What DID she do, Ascot? Do you know what she did?"  
  
Ascot shifted around. "I guess not," he growled. "But I do know that she did something to Umi, and I won't let her go!"  
  
Clef turned to look at Riana. "I suggest that you better start explaining, like what I asked you before."  
  
Hikaru and Fuu were walking towards them. "And let Ferio go," Fuu said.  
  
Riana took one look around, and sighed. "I will," she finally said. "If you promise that he will not attack me."  
  
"We will make sure that it will not happen," Fuu promised softly.  
  
Riana smirked, and looked at Ferio. A second later, he stumbled, and fell to the ground. "Ferio!" Fuu yelled, and ran to him. She picked him up.  
  
Ferio looked up at Fuu. "I'm sorry," he whispered, looking up at her. "I'm sorry that I couldn't fight to protect you or anything."  
  
Fuu shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Now come on. Let's get back to where everybody else is gathered right now. I think some of our questions might finally be answered now."  
  
Suddenly, Riana turned to look at the body in the ocean. Her eyes glowed, and the body stopped moving. It was frozen there.  
  
Clef's eyes widened. "WHAT did you do?!" he demanded.  
  
Riana turned back to look at him. "Do you want me to explain or not, love?" she whispered. "If you do, I suggest you do nothing to anything right now."  
  
"You just better not harm Umi in any way," Hikaru growled.  
  
"I won't," she whispered. "Just yet. Now... let's go." Riana waved her hand around, and suddenly, the surroundings around them melted, and they were standing in a foggy, white place.  
  
Riana then backed up from them, and asked, "Do you think that I am real?"  
  
"Why should we know?" Fuu asked. "You were created from Umi's wish."  
  
Riana laughed harshly. "Don't you wish that were true! How about I show you the REAL reason..." And then, she waved her hand once more. This time, they entered a dark, gray area, and the fog was still there.  
  
"Where are you taking us?" Hikaru asked.  
  
"Nowhere. We are already here," Riana said. "This is where I first appeared. Isn't this a lovely place?" she smiled grimly. "When Clef thought that I died, he was most certainly mistaken. I didn't die. Instead, when he told me about his feelings, I couldn't take it. I couldn't stand the fact that I couldn't love him back because of my obligation to the pillar. So instead, I started to fade away. I started to chain myself down. Instead of dying, I just disappeared from Cephiro.  
  
"I found myself here," she whispered coldly. "Wandering around forever. For centuries. I had no clue how long I stayed here. All I knew was that I had nothing to do but walk and walk, looking for something. Some place. But I couldn't find that thing. So instead, after a while, I just stayed in one place, sitting there, still waiting.  
  
"And one day, I found that the scenery was changing. I found that a cliff was developing. And trees. And more. And then... I found that a person was with me. SHE had entered my world. Umi..." And then, with a flick of her hand, Riana showed them the scenery that Umi had gone through ever night for the past week in every dream.  
  
"I was so surprised to see her," Riana continued. "She had somehow entered my world. And I understood why, too. It turns out that I could see what was in her mind. What she felt whenever she was with me. The first time I saw her, I begged her to help free me from my own mind. I found out she was a magic knight. It was so weird to speak again in my mind. When I first talked, it really gave me shock. I begged her to free me. To let me come back here. To see Clef once more. I found out during first time when she and I met, that Clef was still alive, to my joy.  
  
"But then, after she left, the scenery changed back." And Riana changed the scenery back to the gray, dark and foggy place. "I wanted to see the cliff again. Hear the sound of water. See the trees. The rocky terrain. You have no clue how torturing it was for me to catch a glimpse of life again, and have it turn back to this...  
  
"And then," Riana smiled to no one in particular. "Before she came back, I wondered to myself... Why just wish to be free? Why not wish for more?! Why not... make up a new Cephiro? A new land? A new place for me to stay? To live? To be with my love for once more? It would work. It COULD work. I didn't have to share the glory with her! She didn't want to live in the first place. She felt so lonely that she didn't want to live. I had the power to help her make it so, too. My physical body may be gone, but my mental abilities were still here! I could have her help me come back!"  
  
"So," Clef whispered, and his voice cracked. "That's why she was strong enough to make this happen. You were a pillar, too. Her will added with yours could have made this happen."  
  
Riana nodded. She smiled at him. "You were always so smart, love. And night by night, she'd come back to me. Sometimes, I had to force her too, and most likely that's why she kept fainting in front of you all. I was so desperate for the colorful land that she brought with her each time she slept.  
  
"And after a while, she started to trust me. I couldn't tell her my name, in case she has heard of me. I couldn't tell her how to free me, for that was a rule that I had to obey. But other than that, she seemed as if she was happy to see me. She didn't even know that as I read her mind, she read mine as well. I thought I was done for when somehow she slipped about me being CENTURIES old. I was scared she'd notice something about it, but she didn't. When she saw my eyes widen angrily, she thought it was what she had said. Well, in a way, I guess it could be. And after that, she would tell me what had happened to her during the day. She had no clue that with everything she told me, the more I resented her, and wanted to kill her for having so much fun, while I couldn't do that when I lived."  
  
"I should kill _you _for doing that to her," Ferio whispered fiercely.  
  
Riana smiled slyly at him. "Let me continue. And as she trusted me, I saw into her mind. She had always felt lonely. She may have had her friends, but she wanted somebody to LOVE as well. She wanted somebody there to hold her. Do you have any clue how much she envied you two, no matter how much she loved you?"  
  
Hikaru and Fuu turned away, guilt in their faces.  
  
"She had no clue that I was reading her like a book," Riana continued, smiling as she was. "She was lonely. She was depressed. What surprised me was that she didn't JUMP on the opportunity to be with YOU!" she said, looking at Ascot. "And it was because she KNEW she didn't feel that way about you, and she didn't want to lie to herself. She wanted to find somebody to love naturally. Not because somebody just confessed it to her, just like that. She knew if she did, it would just be a big fat lie."  
  
Ascot's eyes showed pain.  
  
"But," Riana admitted. "There was much she wouldn't let anybody know, so must she wouldn't admit to her own self. There were feelings she closed up, even to her own consciousness. Those, I couldn't read a thing into it, though I knew it was about her emotions. Her romantic emotions. Something that she couldn't even tell herself.  
  
"And then, one day, when you all went Cephiro-sighting, she fell into the river. She thought it was herself. That she was getting weak. Hah! As if that were true. She had one of the strongest minds and will I had ever met. In fact, the reason that happened was because the water sensed that I was in her. Controlling her. And it wanted to get rid of me. It wanted me OUT of her. But she didn't know that, and the water was careless to try to take her down with me. Actually, you were lucky to find her, love. But still, I DID have no doubt about it that you _would _find her. And after _that _adventure, she talked with me. I was nervous that after that, she wouldn't trust the water at ALL. But luckily, I was saved from that fear.  
  
"Shortly after that, I found myself in her mind. TRULY in her mind. She had figured out where she was the strongest, and how she can make it all come true. That fool," Riana laughed. "As if her will alone could've made it all come true, even though I must admit it was quite strong. I was lucky to be there in her mind when she started to will for this FANTASY to come true. So then, I realized that I could make some tiny adjustments to her wish. She wanted to free me. I had no clue she would've done it, but she did. And with that wish, she wanted other stuff to.  
  
"She wanted you all to forget about her. She thought that she was holding you all down from your own happiness. She was always fainting. Always causing trouble. She wanted you all to forget about her. Who's fault is that?" she scoffed happily. "And as she willed for this, and wanting to free me, I was there with her, willing as well. I made myself materialize, just as she started to disappear. After she was gone, I went up to find Clef.  
  
"It turns out everything that she had wanted came true. Fuu, Ferio, Hikaru and Lantis were still down by the gardens, looking lovingly at the flowers. Not realizing what had happened. Ascot was with Lanna. Arrow was here. You were all into it. You had no clue that somebody was even gone. That somebody wasn't there anymore."  
  
Clef finally had the courage to look up. "But it didn't work, did it, Riana," he whispered. "There where still traces of Umi's emotions left all around Cephiro. She forgot to erase all of that. She just wanted us to forget HER, but she never said anything about the memories she made here. You were sloppy to not check on that, Riana." Riana's expression was changing to a fury face. Clef continued talking. "She had left a memory on the purin. A flower she told everybody she loved so much. She left a small feeling of rejection in Ascot, but remained as good friends, for all that she taught him. She left a small feeling of insult about my old, short image, which I find a bit humorous to this day. Her devotion to her friends to help them fight. She couldn't have been forgotten, Riana. We loved her too much."  
  
Riana glared at Clef. _That is why you wouldn't kiss me... I now know what your TRUE feelings are..._ she said to him, and sent to him what the accusation. Clef's eyes widened at the image that she gave him.  
  
"That is not true," he whispered. "I don't-"  
  
Riana laughed. "Now I am done explaining," she said, interrupting him. "And as you see I am now _physically _powerful, as well as mentally. That is why I was the pillar." She then waved her hand, and they were back at the beach. "I have power over all of you, including YOU," Riana said, turning to look at Hikaru. "You may be the new pillar, but you are inexperienced. You can't save Umi, nor will the rest of you be able to try to."  
  
Hikaru saw red. Energy started to flow through her. "You dare..." she whispered. "You dare to tamper with Umi's _mind?!_" Hikaru held her hand out, pointing at Riana. "I won't let you get away with that..." she whispered deadly. Then, she shouted, "FIRE ARROW!!!" and let the power unleash.  
  
Riana quickly floated up about a yard off the ground, and held her hand out. "SHIELD!!!" The arrows were quickly diminished. "How DARE you try to attack ME!"  
  
"I won't let you get away with this!" Hikaru shouted. "Umi is my FRIEND!"  
  
"You cannot be considered as her friend. If you were, then she wouldn't have felt this way in the first place. ADMIT it! You neglected your obligation to BE a friend!"  
  
Fuu shook her head. "There are NO obligations to being a friend! It's not like a job! I, too, won't let you get away with playing us all like this!" she yelled, and held her hand, ready to strike. "GREEN TORNADO!!!" and let her wind go.  
  
Riana flicked her hand, and the wind died down. "If the PILLAR could not attack me, what makes you think YOU had a chance?! I-"  
  
=_So you... so you LIED to me..._= The voice riveted in all of their minds.  
  
Riana gasped, and held her hand. "No," she whispered.  
  
=_I trusted you. I wouldn't have cared it you were Riana. In fact, if you told me, I would've worked HARDER to get you out. So you could be with Clef once more. But you... LIED to me._=  
  
Clef turned to stare at the ocean. "Umi?" he whispered. The form had started to hover some more again. Now, the figure was becoming more distinctive.  
  
"No!" Riana whispered. "I'll KILL YOU before you have a CHANCE to come back!" she yelled, and turned to the ocean.  
  
"No, you won't!" Ascot yelled, and grabbed a hold of her arm. "You are NOT hurting Umi again!"  
  
Riana glared at him. "LET ME GO!!" she yelled, and a burst of power blasted Ascot back about twenty feet. Ascot groaned after he hit the dirt, and then, he fainted.  
  
"I'll get her!" Ferio shouted. "This time, NO MORE!!!" he yelled, and ran to her with his sword out.  
  
"YOU FOOL!" she yelled, and held her hand out. Black energy shot out at Ferio, and he fell.  
  
=D_o you think that I will let you kill me now?_=  
  
"Umi!" Hikaru yelled.  
  
"You can't fight me!" Riana yelled, turning back around to face the ocean. "It was because me that this fantasy even HAPPENED! Your will wouldn't have been able to do anything CLOSE to this!"  
  
=_You won't get away with this. I won't let you hurt my friends anymore._= The body stopped floating around. Instead, it stood straight up in the air, still enveloped by the beam of light. The body turned, facing the group, and then, lifted an arm up.  
  
"As if YOU can do ANYTHING to me!" she retorted. "Try and attack me! I'll hurt you before your attack can even FAZE me!"  
  
=_It won't even have to touch you..._= Suddenly, a large ice spike appeared out of her hand. =_If I had never let you talk me into this, then all this would've never happened, of course. You had to use me in order to get all this to happen. I wish you just asked me to bring you back for Clef... But you lied to me. You-_=  
  
"What is your POINT?!"  
  
=_-lied to all of us. And besides that, you hurt my friends. And since I was a part of this, that means that I am also responsible for this. Ascot... and Lanna. I should've never wished for that. I should've let Ascot find somebody by himself._=  
  
"GET TO YOUR POINT!" she hollered. "If you are going to try to strike me, I dare you to do it now! Let me give you a chance to kill me before I kill you!"  
  
=_I should've let Fuu and Hikaru's emotions towards Ferio and Lantis grow naturally. If there are problems during those times, then so be it. I shouldn't have tried to make them be happy forever. That is my own fault. So, since it is my fault, it is my duty to fix it all. Once... and for all..._= And then, the spike was pointed at Riana, being held by both hands.  
  
Clef stared at this stance, and his eyes widened. "NO!" he whispered. "NO! Hikaru! Fuu! Get that spike out of her hands!" he yelled.  
  
Fuu and Hikaru turned to look at Clef. "What?!" Hikaru asked.  
  
=_You'll go... along with the fantasy. Everything will become real once more. Without me, this wouldn't have happened. Without me, you couldn't have been able to do this._= The spike was held out at arm's length. =_You'll leave... along with me!_= And with that thought, she thrust the spike right at her own self.  
  
Riana's eyes widened. "NO!!!!" she shrieked. She looked down at her body. Right on cue, it was starting to fade away. She looked back up at the girl, anger and disbelief in her eyes. "You FOOL!!! You'd give up your own life to kill ME?!"  
  
=_If... If I didn't..._= the thought seemed forced. =_You would've... hurt them... some more.._.=  
  
The beam of blue light was dying down, fading away. The body floated down, landing softly in the water.  
  
Clef stared at Riana. "Riana..." he whispered.  
  
Riana turned to look at him. She had stopped yelling, a look of utter hopelessness on her face. "You gave me up..." she whispered. "How could you not love me?!"  
  
Clef shook his head. "You are not the Riana I knew. You're not her."  
  
Riana stared at him, and tears flowed out. "I... You couldn't love me... If... If..." Riana had faded away, not being able to finish her sentence. She had disappeared.  
  
"Oh, no! Umi!" Hikaru yelled, tearing her eyes away from Riana.  
  
Clef's eyes widened at Hikaru's outburst, and remembered that Umi was in bad condition. He, Hikaru, and Fuu left Riana to fade away. They quickly ran to the water, to where Umi was floating. Instead of the dress she wore when she disappeared, she was wearing a blue, silk dress.  
  
Clef waded to her, the water reaching just below his thigh. He took a hold of Umi. The spike was in her chest, causing blood to flow onto her dress, and mixing with the water. Quickly, he pulled it out and threw it away.  
  
"She's bleeding! Badly!" he informed the other two.  
  
"I can use my magic-" Fuu started.  
  
Clef held her back. "No! You don't understand, but you can't use your magic for this wound. It won't work, and it might worsen it. Don't use your magic for this."  
  
Fuu slowly put her hand back down.  
  
"I have to bring her into the castle," he told them, and picked her up. "You wake the rest of them. They should remember everything. Riana should have linked their minds to ours. I have to find a way to heal Umi."  
  
The two girls nodded, and ran back to the beach. Clef quickly brought Umi back into the castle.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ Am I dying now? Haha... In the beginning, I just tried made myself go away. To disappear. To have them forget. No. Not forget. I didn't do it, either. SHE did it.  
  
This hurts... Well, of course. What do you expect when you strike yourself at full force with a spike of ice?  
  
Ohh... it's so cold...  
  
But at least... they're all safe again.  
  
"Umi..."  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"How is she?" Hikaru whispered.  
  
Clef shook his head. "The blood isn't coming out as much, but... she's getting colder. You see her shiver?" he asked.  
  
Hikaru nodded. "I don't want her to die..." she whispered. Lantis was holding onto her as they looked down at Umi's pale face.  
  
"It's all my fault..." Fuu whispered, holding onto Ferio. "I shouldn't have left her alone all the time."  
  
"That goes for me, too," Hikaru said.  
  
Presea walked up to kneel next to Umi, leaving Eagle to stand by himself. "Please, Umi..." she said, taking her hand. "Please wake up..."  
  
"If Riana is gone," Clef said. "Then she must've REALLY done a lot of damage to herself."  
  
Ascot stared at her. "She looks so... helpless..." he whispered.  
  
Ascot stared at her. "She looks so... helpless..." he whispered.  
  
"She shouldn't have done that," Caldina said, with La Farga comforting her. "We should've been there for her..."  
  
Clef shook his head. _It's my fault. I should have never told her about Riana. If she didn't know about her, then it would've been less pressure on her to do what she did. I need her to come back._ Clef realized. _She can't die on me..._  
  
"I think we should go," Presea whispered. "At least, we should leave her here for a couple of minutes, and have us collect our own thoughts on this..."  
  
The rest of them nodded. "I will be there in a moment," Clef said. Presea nodded, and walked out with the rest of them.  
  
After they were gone, Clef sat down next to Umi, and closed his eyes. And then, he took her hand, and called to her. _Umi..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ "Umi..."  
  
Umi looked around in her mind. She was sitting down, cuddling herself. There, her eyes widened.  
  
"Clef?"  
  
Clef nodded, and walked to her. "Please, Umi," he whispered in a begging voice, looking down at her. "Don't die."  
  
Umi shivered, and looked up at him. "It's so cold... I can't warm up."  
  
"Please, Umi..." he said softly. "How can you just leave us here?"  
  
"I... I deserve to die," she said. "I caused you all so much pain..."  
  
Clef knelt down next to her. "You wanted us to be happy. We don't blame you for your actions, Umi. Riana was encouraging your thoughts. Giving you ideas."  
  
Umi shook her head, and in her mind, she started to cry. "I wanted it to happen. I wanted to do it for you all... I wanted you to love again. With Riana. These actions," she whispered. "They were my own."  
  
"Do you really think that after all these centuries, I would still love Riana?"  
  
"You told me that you didn't love anybody after her. And right now, you still don't."  
  
Clef took a hold of Umi's hands, and held them together with his. "Umi..." he whispered. "Look up at me."  
  
Umi slowly lifted her head up, tears still streaming down.  
  
"What do you see in me?" he asked.  
  
"You are Clef. You were short once," she said plainly, giggling a bit.  
  
"Oh, no..." he whispered. "You're starting to leave. Umi..."  
  
She shivered once more. "I'm getting colder," she whispered.  
  
"What do you see in me?!" he demanded.  
  
Umi's eyes widened. "Why?" she whispered.  
  
Clef's eyes turned to pain. "You know what I am talking about, Umi. You heard it. I know you heard what Riana said... About me. About who I love."  
  
Umi shook her head, now trying to not look into his eyes. "I didn't hear a thing about what she said," she stated.  
  
"Umi-" he started.  
  
"I didn't hear anything!" she insisted.  
  
"I don't care what you say, Umi!" Clef yelled, now taking her shoulders. "LOOK AT ME!" he ordered.  
  
Umi's eyes looked at his face, shocked at the sound of his voice.  
  
Before she could look away, Clef quickly said, "How can you die on us?! How can you even THINK about leaving us here all alone?! Without you... Without you..."  
  
"I don't deserve ANYTHING from you guys..." she whispered.  
  
"It doesn't MATTER what you think you deserve! We won't let you kill yourself! You can't leave us here, Umi. You can't leave ME here... By myself..." he whispered the last part.  
  
Umi's eyes widened, and stared up at him.  
  
Clef backed up, and then, held his hand out. "Come back, Umi. Please..."  
  
Umi stared at him, her mouth partly opened in shock. "Clef..." she whispered.  
  
"Umi... You can't leave us. Not now..."  
  
After a long silence in that position, Umi sat up. "I..." she whispered, and took his hand. "I understand..."  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef opened his eyes. He had fallen asleep.  
  
"Clef..."  
  
Clef looked up. "Huh?" he asked dully. Then, he saw that Fuu was staring down at him.  
  
"You fell asleep, Clef," she told him softly, "so we didn't bother you. And besides that, your hand wouldn't let go of Umi's. We thought you were doing something..." Suddenly, Fuu stopped talking. She was staring at Umi. "Oh, my God," she whispered.  
  
Clef looked up. "What is it?" he asked, and looked at Umi. She was sleeping peacefully. The blood had stopped flowing, and she was breathing regularly.  
  
"Look," Fuu said. "She's breathing at regular pace now..."  
  
Clef sat up, and stared at the sleeping Umi. Then, he smiled grimly.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Ugh..." Umi groaned. She slowly opened her eyes, and realized somebody was staring down at her.  
  
"Umi?" the person asked.  
  
Umi groaned. "Who is it?" she asked.  
  
"It's Fuu. Umi, can you see?" she questioned softly.  
  
"It's kinda blurry..." she mumbled. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened. "Oh, my God," she whispered, and sat up so quickly that it hurt her chest and shocked Fuu. "This isn't happening to me," she gasped, still in pain.  
  
Fuu stared at Umi. "Umi, what's wrong?" she asked, looking at her. "Are you feeling pain?"  
  
"When I hurt myself like that, it's kind of no wonder that I do, Fuu," she said. And then, Umi looked around, and was relieved to see the lavender hair guru wasn't here. She then turned back to Fuu. "I want to go home," she stated.  
  
"WHAT?!" Fuu asked, shocked.  
  
"I want to leave. I want to leave NOW!" she demanded. "I'm not staying here any longer."  
  
Fuu stared at Umi. "But..." she whispered. "Why? Why do you want to leave now? Everybody is really worried about you," she told her. "Don't you at least want to show everybody that you are a bit well?"  
  
Umi shook her head. "Get Hikaru here. I want to leave this instance."  
  
"But... we can't," Fuu argued. "We have time left in our..."  
  
"I'm not staying!" Umi said stubbornly, but also sounded quite determined at the same time. "I am NOT STAYING!!!!" she yelled.  
  
Suddenly, there was a flash of light that enveloped the room.  
  
"UMI!" Fuu yelled. After the flash finally decreased into nothing, Fuu saw that she was still in Umi's room. With Umi's stuff. But without an Umi there...  
  
"Uh... oh..." Fuu squeaked.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_*curses loudly* DAMN!! I just realized that I left an entire SECTION out of this chapter, and I had to fix it and upload it again. How? I would NOT know! SO ANGRY!!! *breathes slowly to calm self down* Okay. Just thinking about all the threats I know I'm going to get. ^_^ Hehe. Well... SEE YA!!! *hightails it outta there*_


	10. Who and WHO?! Together?!

*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ Tra la la la la... la la la la... Oops! Christmas is over! Well... here ya go!! Chapter ten!! A bit of OOC in this chapter, though. *nods head* But then again... this chapter was mainly for my own fun after so much seriousness. So what if it doens't make any sense? So what if it's stupid and corny and dumb and awful and... yeah... I'll stop now. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: The series Magic Knight Rayearth does not belong to me. The poem, original characters, and story plot does though... Not that I think people will steal any of it, ne? Now, my bad luck is another matter altogether... *grins evilly*  
  
Avium: Umi/Clef is so nice!!! Now I can finally say it!!!  
  
Bearit: Oh wells... Riana's gone... *secretly celebrating Umi/Clef*  
  
Silver Dragonfly: Sure! ^_^ Of course you can!! And your site's creative!!! (Yeah... I checked it out.)  
  
Shazzam: I love Lakers!!! I love Kobe!!! AHHHHH!!!! Okay. I'm done. *quickly puts down sign saying 'Kobe is the BEST!!'*  
  
Aylee the Dragon: *blinks* Leprechauns and lucky charms, ne? Well... Maybe you can get them to find Umi!! But you'll see her soon... IN THIS CHAPTER!!!  
  
Kaiya: *blanks out* Only... one... final... *Umi takes over* Drkdemon's a bit in shock... Thanks a lot!!!  
  
Digi*girl: *Drkdemon is back* January 15 is now known as Evil Day. *grins* Take THAT EVIL DAY!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!  
  
Pegasus: Wow... *blinks* Well... I apologize, I guess. ^_^  
  
Lastat: Studying and reading are on my Evil list. Including January 15!!! *nods head*  
  
Mitsuko Hime: Oh, she's dead. She's dead dead. She's dead dead dead. Maybe she'll come back in a sequel... @_@ DANG NO!!!! I'll DIE!!!  
  
Marzy001: Awww... Stupid Clef!!! *knocks him out with gas* HERE YA GO!!!! *hands him to her again*  
  
Crystal Rose: Oh, thank you!!! Such nice readers, all of you, really.  
  
Linali Higami: You... cried? Wow... I didn't mean to do that!! I'm SO SORRY!!! *starts sobbing head off*  
  
Ghettochild: Oh, dang... Stupid people who did that to you!!! *vows to kill the stupid people who did that to Ghettochild* REVENGE!!!!! *starts chanting and walking away as Ghettochild starts dumbfounded at the crazed writer*  
  
E-chan Hidaka: Thank you, too!!! ^_^  
  
Korosu and Neko-chan: *blinks as review is over* Umm... I'd LOVE a copy of your calling spell!! But are you sure that you should've done that to Neko-chan??? *peers around for the poor cat* Well, Neko-chan, wherever you are, glad to hear that you and your friend get along so well!! ^_^  
  
Anonymous: I AM writing more!! *pouts* It's just... taking me a while!!! ^_-  
  
Selece: Cliffhangers are evil. Cliffhangers are evil. I should not make cliffhangers. Cliffhangers causes threats and blackmail. Cliffhangers- oops!! *quickly takes off tape and smiles sheepishly* Trying to get outta the habit...  
  
Akimi Kaori: I dunno there... Maybe Korosu would've made YOU disappear or something... Hehe! And... are you a psychic??? I was JUST going to make this story a bit more easy-going and OOC while I'm doing that. *grins*  
  
Phobos: THANKS!!!! Such nice comments!!! *Drkdemon loves comments. And threats as long as they are not carried out... *begs for readers to especially pay attention to that last part* Hehe._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**_Untitled_**  


  


It's over, it's done, and I can't hide it anymore  
My head hurts so much, and my heart is very sore  
I tried to run away, tried to forget about it  
But there's no way anymore, no t the slightest bit  
  
I've seen his heart, and seen his feelings  
His love for me, it's so unreeling  
I've tried to turn away, let go of it all  
But there's no way now, that he'd let me fall  
  
He wants to be there with me, life and beyond  
To know that right now, we sing the same song  
To finally have me admit, the way I truly feel  
To take his caring heart, open and unsealed  


  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter Ten: Who and WHO?! _Together?!_**  
  
"Oh, no..." Fuu groaned, rubbing her forehead with two fingers. "Not AGAIN!! She has GOT to stop DOING this to us!! Always disappearing to nowhere! Having us worry! Doing all these spells and EVERYTHING!" Note that Fuu was stalking out of Umi's room and down the halls to inform everybody as she was yelling all this. "NEVER giving us a BREAK from worrying about her!"  
  
The rest of the people were sitting down in the same room, talking with each other.  
  
"... ALWAYS SCARING me half to death!!!" ALSO note that now Fuu has snapped by now. Kind of. "Does she EVER give a rest about the entire whole 'I don't deserve this' 'I don't deserve that' and all that!!! GEEZ!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she stopped at where the rest of them were.  
  
Hikaru turned around. "What's wrong, Fuu?" she asked. "I thought Umi was getting better..."  
  
Fuu nodded. "Oh, yes," she said in a matter-of-fact way. "She is MUCH better. So much better she was able to will herself back home, in fact."  
  
The entire group got up in a rush. "WHAT?!" Ascot yelled.  
  
"How?!" Hikaru asked. "I demand to know how all these exceptions are coming up!" she huffed, obviously as pissed off as Fuu.  
  
Despite all this, Clef was sitting down, in deep thought.  
  
Ferio turned around and looked at Clef. He bend down, and whispered, "Something happened, didn't it?" he whispered.  
  
Clef jerked his head up and looked at Ferio. "Huh?" he asked.  
  
"Well, everybody else is running around, asking questions, not knowing why this happened. You, guru, on the other hand, are quite calm, as if you know what is happening. Or... I should say WHY this has happened."  
  
Clef shifted around in his seat uncomfortably. "It is nothing," he whispered.  
  
"What is wrong, guru?" he asked.  
  
Clef shook his head, and continued to stare down at the ground. "It is nothing..." he repeated softly.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi landed softly in her bed. She stared around, and blinked. "What... what did I do?" she whispered. She quickly got off her bed, and stared around. Looking at the clock, she realized that it was nine in the morning, and a week and two days has past since she left for Cephiro.  
  
Remembering Cephiro, Umi groaned and slumped back down into her bed. But doing that, she caused her chest to hurt.  
  
"OUCH!" she yelled, bending in pain. "Oooh..." she whimpered. _I'm not returning to Cephiro. EVER AGAIN! _And why is that? She didn't even want to think about it. It doesn't matter. _It'll pass by quickly. This CAN'T be what I was looking for from the beginning. And even if it was, I'm not going to accept this. THAT'S for sure!!_  
  
Umi got up, and lightly touched her chest. It was bandaged. She did this to herself... How... Oh, yeah.  
  
"Riana..." Umi whispered, her eyes turning to a painful expression. _How can this happen?! How could she lie to me?! And... I survived my own attack, too. I wasn't going to, was I? I mean, I was bleeding badly, wasn't I?  
  
But... I DID survive. I mean, I'm still injured, but that's no big surprise. I... HE brought me back...  
_  
Umi shook her head. She's not going back. Not until she can forget how she felt about...  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"We have to go back and get her!" Hikaru said. They were all standing outside of the castle.  
  
Fuu nodded. "I agree. Do you think we should bring our stuff with us? In case we don't come back?"  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "Let's just go get her right now."  
  
The rest of them stood next to the two girls.  
  
"I hope you'll be successful," Presea said.  
  
Hikaru nodded. "If we can, we're going to bring her back," she promised.  
  
Then, Fuu and Hikaru held hands, and closed their eyes. A second later, there was a flash of light, and they disappeared within it.  
  
Clef watched as they disappeared. He sighed, and then walked away.  
  
"Guru Clef, where are you going?" Eagle asked.  
  
Guru shook his head. "Don't mind me. I will be fine. I just need to... do something else," he mumbled softly, and walked away.  
  
Ferio watched worriedly as he left to go back into the castle.  
  
"What is wrong with Clef?" Lantis asked.  
  
"I... I don't know," he whispered. _I'm sure that Guru is as tired and exhausted as the rest of us. I'm sure that's why he is so silent._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi sat down in her living room, and turned on the tv.  
  
"Oh, no!" she suddenly realized. "I left my stereo back there! Oh well," she sighed. "I'll just have Fuu or Hikaru get it back for me... If they'll still talk to me, that is."  
  
And as she was lounging around, Hikaru and Fuu appeared back at the Tokyo tower.  
  
"Is it opened at this time of the hour?" Fuu whispered after she glanced at a clock.  
  
"Who knows. Let's just get the hell outta here and... Where do you think Umi would be?" Hikaru pondered.  
  
"I think she would've gone home... Wouldn't you have done so?"  
  
"I don't know, but it's a good idea to try."  
  
"Okay. Let's go."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef stood at the top of the castle, and he looked down. _This is the land we are supposed to protect. To watch over..._  
  
He then sat down, leaving his staff next to him, and letting the wind blow against him. _But how can I watch over this land... when my heart isn't in it? When my mind is occupied over... something else?_  
  
"Something wrong, guru?"  
  
Clef turned around, and saw that Ferio was standing behind him. "Oh, hello, Ferio. What did you ask?  
  
"Because you looked trouble," he told him.  
  
"Oh," he said softly. "Nothing is wrong with me, Ferio. I am just sitting up here, looking down at our country. It's a lovely sight. Umm... Why did you ask about me?"  
  
Ferio sat down next to Clef. "I don't know. Do you think that Fuu and Hikaru will be able to bring Umi back?" he asked.  
  
"Are you worried about the Magic Knights?"  
  
Ferio nodded. "I can't say I'm not."  
  
"I am sure they will bring her back. If not now, maybe later. But I am sure they will be able to."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi heard the bell ring.  
  
"Must be a salesmen or something," she muttered as she opened the door.  
  
"We got lucky," Hikaru smiled at Umi, who's eyes were wide and round. "We had no clue you'd be home."  
  
Umi gaped at the two. "Umm... hi," she whispered.  
  
Fuu walked past Hikaru and stared intently at Umi. "You have some explaining to do," she said in a deadly soft voice.  
  
Umi closed her eyes, sighed, and nodded. "Yes, I do. Come in," she said, and gestured them to come in.  
  
Hikaru stared worriedly at her. After Umi had closed the door, she said, "Let's go into my bedroom."  
  
After they sat down on chairs in her bedroom, Umi flopped onto her bed, and sat up straight.  
  
"Well?" Hikaru asked. "Will you start?"  
  
"From where?" Umi whispered.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us about your dreams?" Fuu asked.  
  
Umi shifted around on her bed, and turned to stare out of a window. She sighed, and after a minute of silence, she said, "It was nothing for you to truly care about. I thought I was having dreams... and that girl in there was just some person lost in some weird dimension, and she wanted me to free her. I... I had no clue..."  
  
"That she was hoping for more than what she asked for, right?" Fuu stated.  
  
Umi nodded. "That's right. I was willing to help her find the person she loved... I just had no clue that it was Riana, and that her love was Clef. THAT surprised me a bit," she laughed uncertainly.  
  
"Wait a minute," Hikaru said. "Something's wrong with this..."  
  
Umi shifted her gaze away from her friends. "Oh?" she asked. "What is it now?"  
  
"She said... Riana, that is. She said that you felt... lonely. That you had something you kept closed to everybody. Including yourself."  
  
Umi sighed. "I think she was just trying to make you guys angry or something."  
  
"That's a lie, and you know it."  
  
"It doesn't matter what it was," Fuu said. "And besides that, there was also when we found you screaming that first night. You said that there was a feeling that was bothering you. But you never explained it to us."  
  
"Enough of this, Umi," Hikaru said.  
  
"Yes. You are not the pitiful girl who got taken advantage of. You are our friend, Umi. You are strong, and you are supposed to be able to trust us, for we are your friends. We promised we'd protect one another the first time we went to Cephiro. But how can we protect YOU if you won't let us?"  
  
Umi stared at Fuu and Hikaru. "Protect..." she whispered.  
  
"Yes, Umi," Hikaru said, smiling. "We promised."  
  
Umi smiled uncertainly. _Then if you want to protect me, make me fall out of love._ "Well..." she whispered.  
  
Hikaru got up, and walked up to Umi. She looked intently into Umi's eyes. "I think that you're running away from something..." she whispered. "I mean, I'm sure it's obvious to you, but you won't tell us. What is it, Umi? Please? Please tell us."  
  
Umi looked down at her own folded hands on her lap, sucked in a breath, and let it out. "I..." she whispered. "You're both right. I always feel very lonely." It was time to admit everything to them, Umi had decided. Well... at least most of what was going on. "It doesn't matter if you guys are with me or not, I'll always have this feeling in me. It doesn't really matter that you two have somebody. I'm not jealous and I don't hate you guys for it. You know it already. But knowing that I'm lonely doesn't help, you know. I don't want to love anybody right now. I don't care if he loves me to death or not. I'm just not ready to fall in love so quickly... And I guess these feelings of mine just mixed and jumbled together, and caused all these problems for you all.  
  
"First, I started to change. I mean, I stopped having fun, because I couldn't. I didn't enjoy anything at all, unfortunately. I mean, being with you guys are the best. But it's just not the same as... you know. And then, these dreams started to come. I had no clue what they were about. All I knew was that this girl wanted to be with the one she loved, and I couldn't ignore that. I had no clue it was Riana, though."  
  
"Did Clef TELL you?" Fuu asked.  
  
Umi nodded. "He told me everything about her. I hear only Ferio knows, too. And besides that, I started to faint, which is obviously NOT a good sign. And after that, I landed into the river. And then I willed all that stuff... It's just been one bad thing after another for me, you know?"  
  
Hikaru was still kneeling next to Umi's bed. "It's not your fault," she told her. "Not all of this is your fault."  
  
Fuu nodded. "Umi... Sometimes, you just can't HELP but feel this way. Some of these feelings come naturally. And if you try to kill them, they usually just blossom more. You need to understand that sometimes, things just happen for a reason.  
  
"I..." Umi whispered. "I'm so sorry..." Umi looked up, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm so very sorry..."  
  
Hikaru sat down next to Umi, and hugged her. Fuu got up quietly, and sat down to the other side of Umi, and hugged her as well.  
  
"I just don't..." Umi whispered. "I just want to be happy... But I know I can't, unless I have to feel such pain later..."  
  
"Umi... What are you talking about?" Fuu asked.  
  
"I..." Umi choked. "I... I'm getting myself into a hole where I can't dig myself out. I know I'm going to hurt myself. I AM."  
  
"Hurt yourself?" Hikaru asked. "How?"  
  
"I don't want to see him," she whispered, and closed her eyes. "I don't want to hurt myself anymore than I already am. I don't want to hear anything about him. I don't want this feeling inside of me..."  
  
Hikaru and Fuu looked up at each other, their eyes widening. And together, at the same time, they mouthed the word, _Him?!_  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
A hour later, Fuu and Hikaru left Umi's house.  
  
_ "I need some time to calm myself down. I'll go back to Cephiro... I will. I promise you that. Please give me two days. Come back for me after two days," she had said. "Just... don't tell them, please. They'll find out when I get there. Besides, I left all my stuff there. I'd like to get it all back."  
_  
"What do you think she meant by that?" Fuu asked. "Who is HE?"  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, she never-"  
  
"Oh, my GOD!!!" Fuu shrieked. "What if it's Ascot?!"  
  
Hikaru stared at Fuu, and cocked her head to one side in confusion. "Ascot? Why Ascot? Didn't she say she didn't like him?"  
  
"Yes, well... maybe she's having second thoughts."  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "I don't know. It just doesn't seem likely. Not after her whole 'I won't like anybody just because they like me' thing."  
  
"Well... who else can it be?"  
  
"Let's see... I DOUBT it'll be somebody from Autozam, Chizeta, or Fahren, right? Did she ever meet anybody there?"  
  
"I don't know. How about the guys from the village? Did she look as if she was eyeing any of them?"  
  
"*choke*!" Hikaru looked at Fuu. "Gimme a break!"  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Fuu and Hikaru returned to Cephiro the next day. This time, though, they landed right on the ground lightly. And there, Ferio was waiting for them.  
  
"Well?" he asked. "I see that Umi is not with you..."  
  
Hikaru and Fuu nodded. "Please don't mention this to anybody, but we are going to go get her tomorrow. She said that she would come back tomorrow," Fuu said.  
  
"She promised us," Hikaru put in.  
  
"Did you get _anything _out of her?" he asked. "Anything at all?"  
  
Fuu turned to Hikaru. "I think it is all right to tell Ferio, right?"  
  
Hikaru nodded. "Not like he's gonna DO anything with it, anyway," she said.  
  
Fuu smiled, and turned back to Ferio. "We already know something's wrong with her. When we went to see her, she told us a lot. But mostly... she seems to be affected by some guy."  
  
Ferio sighed, and raked his hair with his hands. "Really? I thought Ascot and her were just friends," he said.  
  
"We don't think that it's Ascot," Hikaru said.  
  
"What?" Ferio stared at her. "What do you mean it's not Ascot? How can it not be?"  
  
"I don't know," Hikaru mumbled. "It just seems that her brooding and all seems to be over something more... important or something..."  
  
Ferio sighed again. But this time, it seemed as if it came from frustration. "God..." he said in a fierce whisper. "She sounds just like the guru!"  
  
"Clef?" Hikaru asked, inquiring. "How?"  
  
"I don't know!" he said, exasperated. "He's been sitting by himself, not talking to anybody ever since Umi left. Just broods over nothing since yesterday! Didn't eat a single thing! He's gonna starve himself to death! You just watch! THEN where will we find a guru?! Never talks! Just looks out the window as if his mind... was on..." Ferio said, his eyes widening in realization of he had just said in the past minute or so. "As if his mind... was on... something else..." ^_-  
  
Fuu and Hikaru's eyes widened along with his as they realized what he was saying. "You mean... SOMEBODY else..." Fuu whispered, a bit in awe.  
  
Hikaru had a smile forming on her face. "Are you trying to say..."  
  
"That Umi..." Fuu continued.  
  
"With the GURU?!" Ferio yelled hastily. "Th-that's nonsense there! And don't you dare go spouting ANY of this to him, either!" he yelled, almost scolding them. "I'm gonna get in trouble if he finds out that we even MENTIONED it!"  
  
"Look, Ferio," Fuu grinned. "We didn't _mention _a name yet. So that's who you think that Umi's all getting depressed over?"  
  
"I did NOT SAY A THING!" he protested. "Don't you dare let Guru Clef hear you talk about him like that! Falling in love!" he sputtered. "Why of all the..."  
  
"But-but-but-" Hikaru said. "It makes SO much SENSE!"  
  
Fuu nodded. "I mean, he was the one who was able to find her during that banquet, when the rest of us were all worrying over her."  
  
"He has MAGIC! He USES magic!" Ferio argued. "In fact, we ALL do!"  
  
"He told her about Riana!" Hikaru said.  
  
"If YOU two would ask, maybe he'd tell you, too!" Ferio interjected. "Cause that's what I did. All you need to do is _ask!_"  
  
"He was the last one to leave her room after she woke up screaming that night," Fuu put in.  
  
"He had to get the goblet back!" Ferio stated.  
  
"I remember something, too!" Hikaru said. "After the first time she fainted, the only way she woke up was when Clef called her name! You remember?!"  
  
"He spoke to her in her MIND to help her!"  
  
"And I remember seeing them in the room alone afterwards!" Hikaru continued. "He was LAUGHING! He was laughing, and she threw a pillow at him!!!"  
  
"Well, maybe the guru deserved it!"  
  
"And he always looked so depressed after Umi faints!" Fuu said sadly.  
  
"We all did!"  
  
"They took a walk in the garden!" Hikaru argued.  
  
"She woke up early! The guru is ALWAYS down there that early in the morning!"  
  
"He told you guys to not go after him when he went to save Umi!" Fuu yelled.  
  
"Didn't want us to get hurt, too!"  
  
"And afterwards, she'd only talk to HIM! Even though it was in their minds!"  
  
"That's cause he was strong enough to!"  
  
"What about after the fantasy and everything?! I found Clef holding onto her hand and had fallen asleep! And when we left him there, Umi was still bleeding badly! When I got back, she had stopped bleeding, and was breathing regularly again!" Fuu said.  
  
"He was probably healing her! And got tired from it all! After all, magic takes up a bit of will outta ya!"  
  
"But he said that you couldn't use magic to heal her this time!" Hikaru said.  
  
Ferio stared at Hikaru to Fuu and back again. "What is wrong with you girls?!" he asked, getting nervous about this certain topic. "Does EVERYTHING have to end up in a silly love story?!"  
  
"This ISN'T a love story, Ferio!" Fuu said. "Why are you so reluctant to believe this anyway? Is it such a bad thing that those two might... you know?"  
  
"Because it's the most absurd idea I have ever heard of! Umi and the _guru?!_ They are from two different worlds altogether! And from what I heard, those two did NOT exactly hit it off when they first met-"  
  
Fuu glared at him. "Ferio, you and **_I_** are from TWO different worlds..."  
  
Ferio's eyes widened, and realized what he had just said. "No! I mean, no! I didn't mean it in that way, Fuu! I meant, I mean... I just..." he finished lamely.  
  
Hikaru giggled. "You're pretty flaky for a prince-slash-future-king, Ferio."  
  
Ferio glared at her. "I am NOT flaky!"  
  
"But isn't that sweet," Fuu suddenly started swooning overdramatically. "I mean, these two... they started out clawing at each other's throats, and now they'll risk their lives for each other. Isn't that just romantic? *sighs longingly*"  
  
Ferio backed up from her a bit. "Umm... Fuu? Are you okay?!"  
  
Fuu smiled sweetly at Ferio. Suddenly, her expression changed drastically. "Of COURSE I am... NOW YOU WOULDN'T WANT ME ACTING LIKE THIS INSTEAD NOW DO YOU?!?!" she yelled at him.  
  
Ferio laughed nervously. "At least I'm glad I can be sure you'll never be like that."  
  
Fuu smiled at him softly, and then hugged him. "You BETTER be!"  
  
Hikaru sighed. "Come on, guys. Let's get going."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi sat in her room and turned on the stereo (not the one she left back at Cephiro. She missed that one, though), having instrumental soothing music flow out. They had all left her alone for a day or two. But tomorrow, they would come to pick her up. Like she promised she would let them do.  
  
Umi stared out at the window. It was twelve at noon. Her parents were still on their business trip. Maybe it would be better to not have promised Hikaru and Fuu. But if she didn't, then they would've found SOME way to force her back. At least... At least they don't didn't pursue her further on finding out what's wrong with her. She didn't want to talk about it herself. Maybe she can just go back to Cephiro for a day, and leave...  
  
"Ha-choo!!" Umi sneezed. She wiggled her nose. "Who's talking about me?!" she muttered to herself.*   
  
_*It's a superstition I know of that if you sneeze, somebody's talking about you. But I don't know how that applies to a cold..._  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"I STILL think that it's not possible!" Ferio huffed as he stalked into the castle with Fuu and Hikaru behind him.  
  
"And why not?! Why don't you just want to consider the possibility of this idea?!" Fuu asked.  
  
"Because if Guru Clef heard you talking about his... personal stuff, I DOUBT that he'd appreciate it! After all-"  
  
"Talk about my what, Ferio?"  
  
Hikaru, Fuu, and Ferio jumped at the voice. Ferio turned around.  
  
"Oh! Guru!" he exclaimed. "Umm... Nothing," he said quickly.  
  
"Nothing? Are you sure?" he asked.  
  
Ferio nodded quickly. "Nothing at-"  
  
Fuu pushed Ferio out of the way. "Umi will be coming back tomorrow."  
  
Clef nodded, to her surprise. "Okay, then. I will see you all later, then. I have something to tend to."  
  
Fuu watched as Clef left. "Maybe I'm wrong..." she muttered. "Didn't have any reaction or anything..."  
  
"See?! Now stop it!" he said.  
  
Fuu crossed her arms and had a sulky expression on her face. "Fine... geez..."  
  
"But," Hikaru stated. "Don't you think that Clef made a quit exit? And he looked as if his mind WAS on something else..."  
  
Fuu's eyes lit up in hope. "Yes-"  
  
"Because he had something to attend to!" Ferio argued.  
  
"I STILL think that he and her feel something for each other!" Fuu argued.  
  
"Who and who?"  
  
Hikaru and Fuu turned around, while Ferio looked past them, and saw that Lantis was walking towards them.  
  
Ferio shook his head. "Nobo-"  
  
Hikaru pranced up to Lantis. "Don't you think that Clef might have feelings for Umi, Lantis? I mean, think about it," she told him. Ferio facefaulted. Great friend for keeping secrets there.  
  
Lantis tilted his head to one side, in thought.  
  
"NO!" Ferio shouted. "Don't you dare, Lantis!"  
  
"Well..." Lantis said, raising a eyebrow. "They do seem a bit... concerned about each other all the time. At least, Guru Clef is towards Umi."  
  
"Not you too, Lantis! We were ALL concerned about Umi!"  
  
"Well... he WAS the one who went to get her when she-"  
  
"We said that thing about the drowning already, Lantis," Fuu said dryly. "For every thing that we have said, he always has something to counter it."  
  
"Really now? I don't know..." Lantis said. "Do you really think that those two love each other? That they actually care for each other enough to be like that?"  
  
"Who?" Caldina asked, walking towards them.  
  
"The guru and Umi," Lantis said absentmindedly, and turned back to the others.  
  
"I think that those two really care for each other. I mean, come on!" Fuu said.  
  
Caldina's eyes widened. "Clef and UMI?!" she yelled, nosing in already. "Do you mean the guru known as Clef and the magic knight known as Umi?! THOSE TWO?!"  
  
Ferio put a finger to his lips and said, "SHHH!!! A little less loud, please!"  
  
"Well, don't you think so, Caldina?" Hikaru asked.  
  
"Hmm... I should ask La Farga about this. After all, he's known Guru Clef longer than I have. Wait right here while I get him!"  
  
Ferio shouted, "Caldina! NO!! You're not supposed to mention this to anybody! HEY! Wait a minute!" But it was futile, for the dancer had already run off.  
  
Ferio watched as she ran off, having a doomsday look on his face. Then, the turned back to the others. "Okay! Fine! Go ahead and argue about this, but remember: I was NOT the one who mentioned this, okay?! You got that?!"  
  
Hikaru and Fuu nodded absently. "Sure. Sure," Fuu replied.  
  
"Well, are we done now?" Ferio asked. "I am SURE that we all have many other things to do."  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "Not really."  
  
"And I would like to see how you two girls came to this conclusion," Lantis said. "I mean, you couldn't have just pulled this suggestion out of the air, did you?"Fuu shook her head.  
  
"Wait! What is this about?!" La Farga asked, walking up to them with Caldina next to him. "What about the guru?"  
  
"Don't you wonder if he ever falls in love? Hikaru and I think that he and Umi might have something going on..." Fuu said.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well..." and for the next fifteen to twenty minutes or so, she starts listing the things. It would've gone even faster if Ferio would have stopped interrupting her while she was speaking.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Twenty minutes later...  
  
"I STILL think that it's not right!" Ferio yelled.  
  
"Those two CARE for each other. How can I not be true?" Fuu argued back.  
  
"Yeah! What makes you think they can't love each other?!" Caldina said.  
  
"Well, I think it's preposterous!" La Farga said.  
  
"I think it'd be so nice," Hikaru smiled.  
  
"NONONO!!!" Ferio yelled.  
  
"I have to agree with Ferio at this one, Hikaru," Lantis told her. "I just don't think that it's possible that he would really feel that way about her..."  
  
"How would you guys know?!" Fuu asked.  
  
"Because we do!" Ferio said.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
The sun almost about to set...  
  
"Those two are meant for each other!" Hikaru argued.  
  
"Don't you think that's getting a bit over the edge, Hikaru?," Eagle asked.  
  
"Well... maybe," Hikaru admitted.  
  
Fuu smiled. "It's so sweet..."  
  
"Well, maybe they're just shy..." Presea suggested.  
  
"I think this idea is just pure nonsense," Lantis said dryly.  
  
"I agree with Lantis," Ferio said. "It's just a stilly joke."  
  
"It is NOT!!!"  
  
And this argument continued on into the night...  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_ Okay... I'm almost done!!! YES I AM!!!! Wow... This fic is pretty long, ne??? Well, don't worry!!! It's like I said! This fic is updated once a week! So... yeah... PLEASE REVIEW!!! That was not a cliffhanger... right??? Oh wells!! REVIEW!!!!! *grins*_


	11. Umi's Smile: The Parting Gift

_ Disclaimer: The series Magic Knight Rayearth does not belong to me. The sucky poem does, though.  
  
Mitsuko Hime: Hehe. ^_^U Remind me to try to NEVER piss you off...  
  
E-chan Hikada: Awww... thanks! *grins*  
  
Korosu: That's why I told everybody that it's gonna be a bit weird and crazy for that last chapter. Hehe.  
  
Shazzam: Some friends tell me that I am psychic. (They don't know that I just get lucky. A lot.)  
  
Aylee the Dragon: Oh yeah... Well, Ascot just... wasn't there... *finishes lamely*  
  
Digi*girl: Oh wow... Don't do that! *shakes head* It's a 'Once-A-Week' fic... *sigh*... I feel so guilty. T_T  
  
Ghettoangel: That's... still so sad. *sniff* *grumbles about stupid people making one of Drkdemon's coolest reader all sad and everything and vows again to kill them one day*  
  
Marzy001: I kinda did that on purpose. ^_^ Just for fun, of course!  
  
Kaiya: *glares* I don't like your finals!!!! !!!! Oh wells... *sniff*... I can take it...  
  
Pegasus: Hehe... Cliffhangers. Hopefully, I'm done with them for this story. (HAPPY, EVERYBODY?! *sigh*)  
  
Neko-chan: Because I wanted them to. *grins* Maybe this chapter will make it all better...  
  
Lastat: *backs up a bit while smiling* Remind me to never argue with you on any topics, ne? Hehehe.... ^_^;;  
  
Sailor Jun-Jun: ENDING ENDING ENDING!!! Let's see if you'll like 'the ending'. Hehe. *grins while getting motorcycle ready*  
  
You all just have fun reading now!!! *packs up airline ticket and suitcase, ready to get outta here*  
  
_

*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**Untitled**  
  
So once more we separate, but this time I'm happy  
I've seen how you feel, how we're 'meant to be'  
As corny as it sounds, and unoriginality  
I'm glad to say it, as you can quite see  
  
You gave me your gift, showering me with your words  
Telling me to come back to your arms, all this I've heard  
So maybe it'll take a while, maybe too long a time  
There's one thing we know: 'loving you ain't a crime'  
  
Another clichéd, another done-to-death phrase  
Well, who cares, I won't see you for many, many, MANY days  
So might as well take the chance, and make it as sappy as we can  
And have you wait for me, to come back to this beautiful land  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
**Chapter Eleven: Umi's Smile: The Parting Gift**  
  
Umi sat in front of her steps, waiting for them to come get her. She sighed, watching as people walk passed her house on the sidewalk. Suddenly, she saw a couple walk in front of her, the girl prancing around. She then stopped, and walked back to her boyfriend, laughing and giggling as they snuggled a bit.  
  
Umi sighed sadly. She could never do that. At least... not with... Umi shook her head in anger. NO! She did NOT like him! Not ONE BIT!! Why should she? She was too young to know any better... Right?  
  
"*sigh*... This is no fun," she muttered.  
  
The couple were laughing. "I thought that was such a funny movie..." the girl giggled, taking her boyfriend's arm.  
  
"Next time, I'll take you to a sappy one, then," he promised jokingly. Umi turned her head away, trying to not look at them.  
  
"Aww... What will you try to do while we watch it?" the girl teased.  
  
"Well, I would..." They were out of hearing range now.  
  
She turned back around, staring out glumly once more at the streets. God was teasing her. That was it, right? Flaunting in her face the entire fact that she couldn't stand being alone. That she-  
  
"UMI!"  
  
Umi snapped out of her thoughts, and saw that Fuu and Hikaru were standing in front of her. "Oh!" she said, and got up quickly. "Hey, guys," she smiled.  
  
"Are you ready to go?" Fuu asked glumly.  
  
Umi stared at her watch. "It's noon, guys. Why do you all look so tired?" she asked.  
  
Hikaru yawned. "The entire lot of us spent the entire night arguing about y-"  
  
"About just something!" Fuu said hastily. "Come on! Let's go!"  
  
Umi nodded. "I just want to pick up my stuff. Then I will stay for the night."  
  
Hikaru and Fuu stared at each other, and then, they sighed. "I just wanna sleep," Hikaru mumbled, staggering along the streets as they walked to the Tokyo Tower.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
The three of them got to the Tokyo Tower, and held hands, wishing to go back to Cephiro.  
  
Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and the three girls disappeared.  
  
Umi opened her eyes, and saw that they were once again in the air. WAY up in the air, and dropping to the ground quickly as each second passed.  
  
"Not again!" Hikaru yelled... and then yawned.  
  
"Great," Umi muttered. "JUST great!"  
  
"Last time we seemed to have come here fine..." Fuu mused as they plummeted to the ground. "I think maybe it's because Hikaru is a bit tired..."  
  
"This is NOT the time to think!" Umi yelled.  
  
"Maybe they'll catch us again," Hikaru said.  
  
"And if they don't, we'll just die," Fuu suggested.  
  
"I will NOT!" Umi argued.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Guru Clef! Hurry! They are coming down. From the SKY again!" Ferio yelled.  
  
Clef quickly ran out, and saw that they were still falling. He quickly tried to put up a wind spell, but was a bit late with it...  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi closed her eyes tight as they continued dropping, absolutely refusing to see herself splatter into pieces when she got to the ground. Suddenly, a small gust of wind blew, but not enough to stop an impact.  
  
"AH!" Umi shrieked as she hit somebody.  
  
"Oof! I got ya, Fuu!" Ferio yelled, catching her in time.  
  
"Thanks, Lantis!" Hikaru smiled, landing hard in his arms.  
  
Umi groaned and opened her eyes. "That hurt..." she groaned.  
  
"Not as much as how I am hurting right now!"  
  
Umi looked down, and gasped. "Oh, no!" she yelled, and quickly got off of the flattened Clef, blushing deeply. "I-I-I-" she managed to get out.  
  
Clef got up and sat on the ground. "Thank you, Umi. I think that there might be a couple bones left still attached and well in my body though," he smiled grimly.  
  
Umi got up and bowed quickly. "I am SO sorry, Clef," she said. "I didn't mean to- I mean, well, of course I didn't-"  
  
"Umi!" he yelled, interrupting her, his voice in a soft whispered, and started to avoid eye contact with her. "It is quite all right. At least the three of you are okay. Come now. Let's go in."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi sat down in her room, and sighed. "I wanna leave..." she mumbled to herself. "I wanna go home. I don't wanna be here. I don't wanna see..." _HIM_ "...right now. I don't want this inside of me..." she whispered softly.  
  
Umi sighed, got up, and moved to her bed. Why did she have to feel this way NOW?!  
  
That was a lie, and she knew it. "I..." _I felt this way before, didn't I? That's why I kept coming back... To... To see..._ "It's not fair..." she whispered. _Not fair at ALL... They all can stand falling in love here in Cephiro. They can stand not thinking about the future... About how this relationship that they made with each other might affect them. How they might get caught up in everything in the future by not caring now. How..._ "How can they DO this?" she whispered.  
  
"Umi?"  
  
Umi turned around, and saw Ascot standing by the door. "Hey, Ascot," she said.  
  
"Can I come in?" he asked, and after he saw Umi nod, he walked in, and sat down next to her. "Well... how are you?"  
  
"I am fine, Ascot. I... I..." she whispered, and started to shiver, but not from the wind. "I'm sorry, Ascot. I think I put you in more pain than I wanted to... But, I just wanted you all to be happy."  
  
Ascot nodded. "I know you think that it was awful about how you said you... didn't have any feelings for me, Umi, but I'm glad you told me the truth. And wasn't it like what you said? You can't force anybody to like somebody. Lanna and I... we were never truly in love. It was in your dream that I was in love with her."  
  
"And that dream will remain as a dream," Umi said softly, as if those words caused her pain. "That still was not right... I wanted you all to be happy. Clef shouldn't have had to lose Riana like that. I should have left things the way they were. That way, at least Clef didn't have to feel the pain of losing Riana TWICE. And then I got Arrow and Lanna into this. I created them, and caused them pain for the short while they were alive. And then Hikaru and Fuu also got caught up in it, cause I wished for them to be... happy..."  
  
"How are you, Umi?" Ascot asked.  
  
Umi shook her head. "I feel fine, actually..." she said. "I mean, I'm not going to do anything bad or stuff like that. I know that it's better to just... leave things the way they are. If you really think about it, I did more harm than good."  
  
"That's enough of blaming yourself, Umi. You made a mistake. We all make mistakes. But we have to move on."  
  
"I-"  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry!" somebody said. Umi and Ascot turned around. Fuu was standing there. "I... never mind," Fuu smiled. "Just forget I came here," she said quickly, and left.  
  
Umi sighed. "I have no clue what is wrong with those two friends of mine these days, either," she said after Fuu left.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Hikaru and Fuu sat down in a room. "I wonder how Umi is now," Hikaru said.  
  
"I think she's fine. She was sitting down and talking with Ascot."  
  
"Now it's Ascot?! What happened with Clef?!"  
  
"Maybe I was wrong..." Fuu said.  
  
"No... I wonder. Maybe she really doesn't like anybody," Hikaru said. "I mean, not everybody needs..."  
  
"Well, remember what Riana said? Umi always felt lonely..." (Author: NOSY, aren't they? ^_^)  
  
"Maybe she just hasn't found that person yet."  
  
"Maybe. But I really doubt it. Come on. Let's go walk around the castle. It'd be nice to see if there's any other place we might not have seen yet."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef was up at the top of castle once more, staring down at the lands. _She's back... and not once have I spoken to her after we came back into the castle. I wonder how she is right now._  
  
"Up here again, guru?"  
  
Clef smiled secretly. "Yes, Ferio."  
  
"Is this your favorite spot now?"  
  
Clef laughed. "I find that the wind up here blows nicely. It's a nice place to be when you want silence around you to think."  
  
Ferio sat down next to him. "I see... Well, anyway, Ascot went to talk to Umi. She seems fine, he says."  
  
"Ahh... that's nice."  
  
"I just wonder- oh! Look," Ferio said, staring down. "There she is right now. Umi, that is. She's down by the gardens."  
  
Clef looked down, and nodded. She was walking slowly along the path. "I should go talk with her." He then got up, and left.  
  
Ferio watched as he left. "Hmm... Oh, no..." he whispered in frustration. But soon, that frustration turned to awe. "If what Fuu says is true, then does it mean that the guru has finally..."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi bend down at the batch of _purins_. She softly touched the petals of one of them, and sighed quietly. "How pretty..." she whispered.  
  
"They are. I understand why you love them so much."  
  
Umi froze at the sound of the voice. She slowly turned her head around. "Oh..." she whispered. "Hello, Clef," she said softly.  
  
Clef kneeled down next to her. "Don't you think that we need to talk?" he asked. "We haven't really spoken much after you woke up from what you did to yourself with that ice spike."  
  
Umi nodded. "I can't stop thinking about what happened," she whispered, admitting to what her thoughts have been about. "But... I don't know..."  
  
"Where do you want to go?"  
  
"I don't know. It'll be your choice."  
  
"We'll go to my study," he said. Umi nodded. "Come with me then." The two of them got up. She quickly plucked up a flower, and followed his path.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Go ahead and sit down."  
  
Umi sat down on a chair he beamed for her. Clef closed the door, and walked up to her. Umi shifted in her seat, uncomfortable from his gaze.  
  
"You don't want to see me," he stated.  
  
"I..." Umi started. She then shook her head. "I just can't ignore it, so I might as well talk about it."  
  
"You're forcing yourself to talk to me?"  
  
"Don't we all force ourselves to do things all the time?" she shrugged.  
  
"I guess you have a point, but that's not the topic that we want to talk about," he said, and sat down next to her. Then, after a moment of silence, Umi spoke up.  
  
"I don't understand what's going on," she whispered.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I... I don't want to..."  
  
"To what?" he asked. "To look at me?" Umi's eyes widened. "Don't think that I don't know a thing about what's going on, Umi. You're uncomfortable with me now. After all that's happened, you can't admit it to yourself. You can't tell yourself why you _truly _wanted Riana back, can you?"  
  
Umi looked down at her lap, playing with the flower. "I wanted you to be happy," she said softly. "After all, nobody wants to be lonely, right?"  
  
"So you wished for a former pillar to come back. VERY wise..."  
  
"I didn't know. Besides... what else should I have wished for?"  
  
"Maybe for me to tell you the truth?" he said softly. "Do you have any clue how worried I was when I couldn't find you that day? When you fell into the river? I panicked. Badly, I might add. The viewer wouldn't show me where you were until I yelled in frustration. I got so scared. I thought you disappeared to some place where I wouldn't have been able to rescue you. It scared me to death."  
  
Umi's eyes widened. "So YOU were the one who held onto me..." she whispered. "You were the one who saved me... Who held onto me and carried me back to the castle..."  
  
"That was the only way I could transfer some warmth to you," he told her.  
  
"You rescued me... Again and again," she said.  
  
"It is my job," he said simply. "And because... I can't let you die or leave me."  
  
"But... I can't," she whimpered.  
  
Clef got off his seat, and kneeled down next to her chair. "Umi..." he whispered.  
  
Umi turned her head away from his gaze. "Please," she begged. "You... can't..."  
  
Clef took her face into his hands, and turned her head around, ready to just let it all out. "Look at me, Umi. You can't keep ignoring it. You can't keep ignoring the entire fact that I DO love you. And you can't keep ignoring the fact that you-"  
  
"Don't say it!" she tried, and turned her head away.  
  
"You wished Riana back so that you could deny your feelings longer," he continued. "It's not something that you can just overlook, Umi..." he whispered.  
  
"But... but..."  
  
"And don't think that _you're_ even GETTING a chance to overlook it again. I love you, and you know that. You know that it was because of my love for you that caused Riana to get mad at me. It was because of you that I couldn't kiss her."  
  
Umi started to tremble, eyes starting to bear tears. One of them fell, and rolled down a side of her cheek.  
  
"Umi?" he asked, trying to look into her. He took a hold of her face. "Look at me! Your eyes won't even look at me!"  
  
"I..." she whispered. "I... can't..." She then jerked her head away from his grasp.  
  
Clef's eyes fell at her actions. "I... see..." he said softly, and got up. "I have something to tend to," he said suddenly. "You may leave whenever you desire to." And with that, Clef left the room.  
  
Umi waited a minute, making sure that Clef was really gone. Then, she started to truly cry.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_Great..._ Umi thought to herself. _I didn't want to fall in love here. I didn't want to fall in love HERE!_  
  
"It's not fair!" she whispered, still crying in Clef's study. "What was it like before this again?" she said softly, staring at her hands through her blurry view.  
  
_"ME?! A child?!"  
  
"I am 745 years old!"  
  
"Shall we take a walk along the beach?"  
  
"Do you remember when we first met? You kept jumping to conclusions, picking on me about my... height, and then would even argue BACK to me..."'  
  
"That is a purin..."  
  
"Come back to me..."  
  
Back to him..._ Umi sighed. _And I did go back to him. I went back because... because... I couldn't stand to see him so sad before. I, myself, couldn't stand to separate... from him.  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Hikaru and Fuu past by Clef's room, and heard...  
  
"Umi?" Hikaru asked, looking around at the place where Umi was in. "Umi, what's wrong? What are you doing in _here?_"  
  
Umi looked up, tears streaking down her face. "He loves me," she whispered, finally letting it all out to her best friends. "Clef loves me."  
  
Fuu and Hikaru looked at each other, and then walked up to Umi to hold onto her. "Why are you so sad about it?" Fuu asked. "Do you hate him?"  
  
Umi shook her head. "I feel the same way," she said softly.  
  
"Then what's wrong, Umi?"  
  
"I... I didn't want to fall in love here," she told them. "What will you guys do later on? Keep coming back to see Lantis and Ferio? What about later on? How will things be later on? When we all grow up? And they are still here, where only we can come to see them, but they can't go to see us. How can they ever stay with us for life? I... I didn't want to feel that pain. But it's already too late, isn't it?"  
  
Fuu and Hikaru looked at each other. "This is it, isn't it?" Hikaru asked, turning back to Umi. "The reason why you were crying that time? Why you left. You didn't want to face the facts that you are falling for Clef, huh?"  
  
Umi looked down at the flower in her hands, and she slowly nodded.  
  
Fuu, despite the situation and time, smiled. She was practically beaming. "Ferio owes me," she muttered to herself.  
  
"How can you guys do this? How can you guys be with them without thinking about how this would affect you guys later on?"  
  
"We DO think about this, Umi. And well... There could be a way to do this right," Hikaru said.  
  
Fuu smiled and turned to Hikaru. "I think it's time to start. To live our lives again," she whispered. "Back on Earth."  
  
Hikaru looked at Fuu and nodded. Then, she turned back to look at Umi. "We figured something out. You know... being here in Cephiro is kind of almost a different life altogether than on Earth. This place seems to drag on your life a little bit longer than it would be on Earth. Okay, maybe not really a LITTLE. We thought that after everything is over with. After we've lived our lives down on Earth, you know, once we lived until our lives are almost done, maybe we can come back. Come back here, and live with them forever. Stay HERE after we finish on Earth. We won't be separated from them forever."  
  
"But what if something happens to one of us?" Umi asked.  
  
Fuu shrugged. "We'll just have to take that risk. Then, afterwards, we'll be happy. Living here. If we keep coming back here like usually, then we're afraid one day, we might never want to go back to Earth. THEN what do we do? What do we say to our families? They'd be so upset. So... we'll live on Earth first, and THEN come here, to Cephiro."  
  
Umi looked up at her friends. Could this be a possibility? Could they actually do this?  
  
"And since Cephiro is a land of will, and it seems that our lives last MUCH longer here, we won't look like hags when we come back. We can change our looks to anything. Even look as young as Clef did once," Hikaru smiled. "We understand what you're talking about, Umi. We don't want to live our lives without Ferio and Lantis, either. But we know we'll have to sooner or later. So we might as well just live our own lives first, and then go back to see them after all of it is over."  
  
"How old would we be when we come back?"  
  
"Maybe fifties. Sixties. Just when everything is over," Fuu told her. "You'll be separated from Clef, but not for long."  
  
Umi smiled at her friends, and nodded. This was it. The solution. The answer that could have saved her SO many tears and problems. "Thanks, guys," she whispered. "I guess I was really crying over nothing at all. You guys knew the answer... And I didn't think that talking with anybody would've done any good. And now... I realized it was the solution was with you two all along."  
  
Hikaru and Fuu shook their heads. "I wouldn't really say that," Fuu said. "Well, besides that, why don't you go find him?"  
  
Umi clenched her hands into fists at that suggestion. "I don't know..." she said. "I think he might not want to see me right now. After all, I didn't exactly give him a reason to be rejoicing today..."  
  
"Go find him anyway," Hikaru said. "We'll be there for you if you ever need us to. After all, didn't we all promise each other that?"  
  
Fuu nodded. "Just go to him. Talk. Do SOMETHING. Just don't sit around here and mope. That's not the Umi we know. The Umi we know wouldn't act like this. She'd do something about the problems that she had to face."  
  
Umi smiled softly. "Thanks, guys," she whispered, and got up. Then, she slowly walked out of the room.  
  
After she left, Hikaru and Fuu rushed out to Lantis and Ferio.  
  
"We WON! WE WON!!!" Hikaru shrieked.  
  
"I TOLD you she loved him!!!! And he loved HER!!!" Fuu said smugly.  
  
Ferio and Lantis stared at the two beaming girls.  
  
"Huh?" Lantis managed to get out.  
  
Ferio sighed. "This is going to haunt me for the rest of my life, huh?"  
  
Fuu smiled. "You better believe it! I'm going to be shoving this in your face for as long as I can!"  
  
Lantis looked at Hikaru. "What are they talking about? Is it about the guru and Umi again?" he asked her.  
  
Hikaru nodded. "They finally admitted to their feelings," she said.  
  
"Are you TOTALLY sure about this?" Ferio asked.  
  
"Dead sure and dead serious, too," Fuu replied. "Those two are in the clouds about this. Just you watch. They'll be okay."  
  
"Oh, yes. They will," Hikaru said. Suddenly, her expression turned serious. Grave serious. "But... we have something to say as well."  
  
Fuu looked up at Ferio. "Ferio," she whispered. "Will you be able to wait for me?"  
  
"What's this about?" he asked, concerned.  
  
Hikaru and Fuu took in a deep breath. "We're leaving with Umi," Hikaru said.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi walked around the castle. "Where is he?" she whispered.  
  
Suddenly, she bumped into Presea. "Oh! My apologies, Umi! I did not see you there."  
  
"I didn't see you either, Presea. I'm sorry, too. Oh! Do you know where Clef is? I can't seem to find him, and I DO need to talk to him about something important. So do you have a clue as to where he is?"  
  
"Umm...." she said. "I THINK he might be in his room. I don't know... Or he might be in the room where his viewer is. THAT could be it. But I'm sure he'd be in his room."  
  
"Then where is his room? I never really knew where it was. Can you take me there, please?" Umi asked.  
  
Presea nodded. "What is it that you need to talk to him about?"  
  
"Just... something."  
  
"Well, it's right... here," Presea said, stopping at a door.  
  
Umi looked up. She then smiled that Presea. "Thanks, Presea."  
  
"No problem. I'll be going now. Bye, Umi."  
  
After she had turned at the end of the all, Umi took a breath, and knocked on the door. A couple seconds later, the door opened.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef was standing at the balcony, brooding once more. What did he do? What was it that he said? How could he do this? He-  
  
*KNOCK KNOCK*  
  
Clef turned around, and walked back into his room. Who would be looking for him right now?! "Who is-" he asks as he swings the door opened. Blue eyes stared at his face. "It...?" he whispered.  
  
Umi looked at him silently. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes wide from seeing her here. "How did you find my room?" he finally asked. "I don't think that I ever told you..."  
  
"Clef," she whispered, tears starting to form in her eyes. "I'm so sorry!" she said, and ran to hug him.  
  
Clef looked down at the knight, who was clutching his robe. "What?" he whispered, and then, wrapped his arms around her. "What's wrong, Umi?"  
  
"I'm so sorry, Clef," she repeated once more. Then, she looked up at him. "Maybe I should tell you my reasons? Sit down and explain?"  
  
Clef stared at her, and he sighed. "We seem to be doing that a lot lately. Sitting down and explaining things, that is. Come on," he said, and led her to his bed. After the two sat down, he looked at Umi cautiously. "What is it?" he asked her.  
  
Umi took in a breath, and then, she started. "Before... I had a feeling inside of me. Something that I couldn't explain at all. And I wanted to know what it was. I wanted to find out what was causing it. So I came back here, hoping to find out what this feeling was.  
  
"But also, I knew I had to be cautious. I was so scared of falling in love here. I didn't EXPECT to fall in love here. I mean, I live on Earth. And Earth and Cephiro are so far off. And then, all this started to happen. I started to see you more often. And then, those faints started to come. And you were the only one who could speak to me. We kept talking all the time. There was that morning walk, and the walk near the beach. But still, I didn't want to fall in love.  
  
"I... If I did, then what would I do in the future? I mean, there would the entire fact that I live in on Earth, and the person lives in Cephiro. There is also the entire fact that I can't keep coming back here. So... I kept pushing away the thought, making sure that I couldn't feel that way. Making sure that what I came here to find wasn't what I saw. But after the thing with Riana... You wouldn't LET me deny it any longer. I couldn't keep lying to myself..."  
  
After she was done, there was a silent moment. Umi stared down at her hands in her lap, and Clef was staring at the ground. And then, Clef slowly looked up at Umi.  
  
"Umi..." Clef whispered. "What are you trying to say?" he finally asked.  
  
"But it turns out Hikaru and Fuu figured something out. Something... that might make all this better. Something that allows me to be able to tell you something. Something that I've denied since I first saw you."  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Well, Clef... I love you."  
  
Clef stared at her, eyes wide. "Are you sure?" he asked her. "Are you sure it wasn't me who forced you to do this?"  
  
Umi smiled uncertainly, and nodded. "Yes. I'm quite sure. Of course, in the beginning, I didn't EXACTLY love you. I didn't have TIME to think about love. But after... Princess Emeraude, and after we came back that second time, I had that talk with you. And I guess it was then that I realized how much... I actually enjoyed being with you. I didn't know how happy you had always made me feel."  
  
Clef smiled, and hugged her. "And the same goes for me, Umi," he whispered.  
  
Umi returned the hug. "Good," she said softly. Suddenly, her face winced a bit at the words that she was going to say next. "Then... I have something else to say."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'll be leaving soon. And I won't come back until everything is done on Earth. You'll have to wait for me, Clef," she whispered.  
  
Clef stared at her, not believing how fast this just came. "How long will it take?"  
  
"Maybe sixty years max. Who knows," Umi whispered, clutching to him tighter. "But I'll be back when I finish everything on Earth. I won't marry anybody there. I won't fall in love with anybody there. I won't start a family there. I'll be waiting to come back to you. Back into your arms. Will you be able to wait?"  
  
Clef smiled. "I'd wait an eternity if I have to."  
  
"That's what Ferio and Lantis might have said to Fuu and Hikaru," Umi said, smiling back. "We'll all come back one day."  
  
Clef held onto her tighter. "When are you leaving?" he asked.  
  
"I... I will be going tomorrow."  
  
"Why so soon?!" he asked.  
  
"Because I might be tempted to stay here with you forever," she said, smiling sadly up at him, moving a hand to hold his face. "And I can't do that. Not just yet, Clef."  
  
"Are you sure you have to go right away?" he asked softly, clutching her hand.  
  
Umi smiled silently. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I have to hurt you once more, Clef. I have to leave you once more. Just once more."  
  
Clef held onto Umi. "Okay then. I can wait. I can wait for you once more. But you will come back to me?"  
  
Umi nodded. "I can promise you at least that, Clef."  
  
Then, the two just held onto each other, quietly savoring their time together.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
The next morning, Umi, Fuu, and Hikaru stood outside the castle. Umi looked up at Clef, and saw him staring at her. Her lips tugged a bit as he smiled at her. Last night, they stayed together and talked. At least, until she had to sleep.  
  
_ "You'll do fine without me, Clef. After all... it won't be forever that we'll be separated. I can promise you at least that."  
  
"Yes... But it'll be painful without you near or next to me."  
  
"You'll survive. After all, you did before you met me," she reasoned.  
  
"Yes, well, before, I wasn't in love," he said softly, and smiled at her, holding her closer. "It's going to be weird without you here with me. I gotten to used to your company. Do you know how much this saddens me?"  
  
Umi nodded. "I know. I'll suffer without seeing you, either."  
  
"Are you sure you won't come back at _all_ during those years?"  
  
Umi nodded once more. She stared down at their entwined fingers, and smiled slightly at them. "I'm scared that now that you and I know how we feel about each other, I would be tempted to never go back home if I come back some more. We'll just have to wait until I can TRULY come back without ever leaving you again, Clef."  
  
"And I can most definitely wait for that happy day to come." Then, he kissed her on the forehead. "It's time for you to sleep, Umi," he whispered. "We'll see each other tomorrow morning... When I see you off."_  
  
Umi looked down at the stuff she was holding. She hid a small expression on her face as her hair covered it up. _We'll meet again, all right. I'll make sure we do._  
  
Hikaru looked at Lantis, tears streaking down her cheek. Fuu looked as if she was going to run away, and back into the castle. Or maybe into Ferio's arms, not wanting to return to Earth.  
  
But even though it seemed as a tragic day, Umi didn't feel the least bit sad. She didn't, because she knew that Clef would be waiting. Because she knew she had keep her head up. For the sake of not worrying him, she had to do it. She had to be happy.  
  
Especially now... Now that they knew that only THEY would be in each other's hearts.  
  
Clef looked at Umi, and then walked up to her. "I love you," he mouthed quietly. _More than I can truly say, Umi. I love you._  
  
Umi looked back up at Clef.  
  
"Until then," he said.  
  
"Until then," she nodded.  
  
Clef then gave her a bouquet of flowers. Umi's eyes widened. She looked up at him. "They're not _meileis_," she pointed out.  
  
"I think these fit you much better," he told her. "_Purins_ are lovely. They suit you just fine."  
  
Umi clutched the flowers tight, ignoring the looks they were getting.  
  
"I'll be waiting," he whispered, looking at her bright face. "I can promise YOU that at the very least."  
  
Umi slowly looked up at his face and into his eyes. Her lips finally curved up all the way, and she smiled at him.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
_*readers searching for Drkdemon comes up to a sign: **Drkdemon has left this place in case some readers are going to go find Drkdemon and kill Drkdemon or torture Drkdemon or blackmail Drkdemon or question Drkdemon horribly or glare at Drkdemon evilly or just do something unrightfully mean to Drkdemon for a sequel or something. Too bad. YOU WON'T FIND DRKDEMON OR THAT SEQUEL!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!! P.S. Drkdemon wants to reassure you that you can just use your imagination and that will do just fine. See ya!!! (Oh, and Drkdemon has left to someplace where you all shall not find Drkdemon. PEACE OUT!!!)** Readers vein pop at this message, deadly angry looks in their eyes.*_


	12. Epilogue: Ever After

*~*~*~*~*~*_  
_

  
Disclaimer: The series Magic Knight Rayearth does not belong to me. The sucky poem does, though, so NO STEAL!!!  
  
*whistles as readers glare at Drkdemon as Drkdemon walks in. Turns and greets them, ignoring their angry faces* HI!!! I'm back from the Bermuda Triangle!! Do you have ANY clue how tight it was there?! Oh... *faces turns grave* I came back and got ALL this stuff from you guys... *takes out letter-bombs and threats and other similiar and misc. items* Well, thanks... I think... So you guys know that there's not going to be a sequel. And yes. *nods head* It's TRUE!!! BWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAaaaaa... Nevermind. Well, it's true. Though. But... Hehe...  
  
I NEVER MENTIONED **NOT **HAVING AN EPILOGUE!!!! For those who guessed it, GOOD FOR YOU!! For those too busy trying to blackmail me, *glares*. (You all know who you are!!!) Right, Korosu?! Well, besides that, this epilogue will end this story, and hopefully I'm going to be ready to start my next one!! (Yay!!) Well, this epilogue is mainly for those who want a romantic ending... Which I don't think I did a good job of making. Hehe. You don't have to read it. It's like I said before, you have your OWN imagination. ^_^ And the title... Yeah! I know it's the title of a movie, but that's not what I meant!!  
  
Korosu: You know, if you're going to kill me, who's going to write my next fic? Huh?! HUH?!?!?!??! And if you're going to bomb my comp with a virus, then will will I write my stuff?! Huh?! HUH?!?!? I must say, for my first review for chapter 11, you sure did a good job! ^_^ Heehee!  
  
Silver Dragonfly: Hehe. You got it hole in one!!! *glares at Korosu, who turned away, STILL bomb-mailing Drkdemon for no good reason*  
  
Marzy001: Hehe. Thank you for reading. ^_^ First review to NOT yell at me!! *cheers!!!*  
  
Aylee the Dragon: Think about it this way... At least Clef didn't kiss Riana!!!! *grins*  
  
Ghettochild: Wow... That's sure a lotta good luck in one week!! Congrats, grl!!!! *so happy for her!!!*  
  
Shazzam: Well, even if you have an idea, you can still read mine!! And answering to your previous review, yeah, I'd LOVE to see some of the pics you've drawn! My e-mail is on that author thingy FF.N gives us... Yeah... ^_^  
  
Digi*girl: *puts a pillow on the wall to stop Digi*girl from slamming her head* Yeah... They didn't kiss... *sticks tongue out and run* BWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAaaaaa... *cough cough*  
  
Kaiya: Nah. That stuff goes to my head once in a blue moon. I usually keep arguing against that person or yell at my friends when they compliment me. *grins evilly* But still!!! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO VERY MUUUUUUCCCHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!  
  
Lastat: Hahahahaha! Thanks!! I'm glad you liked this story so much!  
  
E-chan Hikaru: Well, I came up w/ an epilogue. Good enough? ^_^  
  
Lady Laran: Wow... Thank you! You're so kind!!! *glares at those who yelled at poor widdle old me (YES!! I AM NOT GOING TO GET OVER THAT!!!)  
  
Linali Higami: THAT is an interesting thing I'd like to try to do... *tries to bounce off walls and just bangs head instead* OUCH!! Nevermind...  
  
T.L. Umi R.: There does NOT have to be a sequel!!! NONONONONOOOOOOOOOO!!! And yes, doing that WAS cruel punishment. *grins*  
  
Angel Alita*: Well, I thought I made the couple VERY obvious by now... But, oh wells!! ^_^ *waves back*  
  
Lafine: I don't NEED a sequel!! I have an EPILOGUE!!! *throws it in all of the readers hands*  
  
Bearit: You should have seen my friend when she read my reviews... *shakes head*. Thanks for reading!!!  
  
Trinity: *jumps up and down w/ Trinity* THANK YOU!!!!  
  
You know... next time, you guys, remind me to NEVER leave you hanging like that as a joke... *shakes head* Oh, and please don't take me seriously about everything I said up there. I was just kidding around with everybody, kay? *smiles* Kay, kay? Kay, kay, kay?  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
**_Untitled_**  
  
It's been a lifetime or so, at least that's how it feels  
I haven't seen you since forever, my heart's been unsealed  
I told you that we'd meet again, and that promise I have kept  
Together from now on, now I'm paying up my debt  
  
Fear took over me once, and stopped me from loving you  
I couldn't stand to be close, and I had not one clue  
That the further I moved away, the closer I got to my heart  
And now we're in each other's gaze, hopefully never to part  
  
Here I am, with your eyes widening in shock  
Surprise! Surprise! You couldn't even talk  
I felt like giggling, but it'd ruin the effect I made  
Then, I ran into your arms, where I hoped to forever lay  
  
You looked in my eyes, strong emotions I could see  
Like a delicate figure from heaven, that's how you held onto me  
What could I do, but tell you the truth of what's going on  
We're not in reality anymore, we're finally singing our song  
  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*

  
  
**Epilogue: Ever After**  
  
_ How have you been, Clef? I've been pretty well, myself. I mean, Hikaru and Fuu have been there for me all the time, as I have for them. It's amazing we've been able to stay together for so long. Well, not really amazing, actually. After all, fate has been decided for us before, right? And Fuu, Hikaru, and I HAVE seemed to be linked together for this life, at least. And we have been fated for a lot more, too, as you can see from our past.  
  
My parents died years ago... It's sad, but it'll be okay. They'll be watching over me. I never told them about you, regrettably. But I know they know. After my last visit to Cephiro, they knew something happened to me. That I loved somebody ever since they left on that trip. And they respected that fact, never pestering me to marry. Of course, they never TOLD me they knew, but you could tell.  
  
Hikaru's family is gone as well. Her brothers have families, but it's okay. They're gone. Died around a couple years after my parents. It was tragic.  
  
Fuu's lasted the longest. In fact, her sister is still alive, unmarried, though her parents are gone as well. Maybe we can bring her along with us. Yes. We decided we at least need to try. We don't want to leave her all alone. Hikaru's family has many people. They'll miss her, but it won't be TOO bad.  
  
We've decided to come back. To come back to Cephiro. How old am I? Still not as old as you, but old enough, I must say.  
  
You know... That masquerade party we never had? We never held? Presea decided to hold one all of a sudden, huh? There's a reason for that... And the list was decided by her as well. Another reason for that as well.  
  
Well... guess what? Fuu's sister can come to Cephiro as well. How do I know? How do we know? Well... We're back.  
_  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"How have you been? You've aged nicely, I might add," Presea smiled.  
  
"Presea, this is my sister. Can you change her as well?"  
  
Persea nodded. "Come. Caldina would be glad to hear that you all have come back. She'll be so happy, as will the rest of them. I have a party to plan. That masquerade we never finished. But... Are you truly ready to come back?"  
  
A second person nodded, her red eyes beaming. "We are done on Earth. We've lived our lives, and want to start over here: in Cephiro."  
  
Presea smiled. "Okay then. Let's change you all quickly. Back to your regular forms? The last time we saw you?"  
  
The three women nodded. "But we'll determine the age we want. Is that okay?" the third woman asked, her blue eyes still filled with emotion.  
  
"Of course," Presea smiled softly. "Shall we start?"  
  
They nodded. "Of course."  
  
"Sis... this is Cephiro. I'll explain it all to you..."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"Why are we having a party?" Ferio huffed. "It'll be BORING!" Ferio changed his form a slight bit. He now looked a couple years older.  
  
"Well... it'll be fun! Come on! It's going to be a masquerade banquet!" Caldina said. "It'll give me an excuse to dress even NICER!" Caldina and Presea still looked to be the same age.  
  
"Didn't we say that we would hold the first masquerade banquet when... they come back?" Clef asked softly. He, too, still looked the same, having to never change his form after that one time.  
  
"We should hold one before they do, though," Presea said. "That way, we'll know how to do it the next time."  
  
"What's there to learn?" Ferio asked. "All we do is serve food, dance, and just have people come. Only this time, they'll wear masks."  
  
"Come on! Please?!" Caldina begged.  
  
"I think maybe we should," Ascot said. "Just to entertain those females." Ascot has grown a couple years. Or looked as if he had.  
  
Lantis looked up. "It doesn't matter to me. I'll go anyway," he said. Lantis also didn't change his form. Then, he sighed. "How long has it been that they left..." he whispered. "Forty years? Fifty? Sixty? I stopped keeping track. It hurt to do so."  
  
Ferio looked at Lantis, and then down at the ground. "It's been sixty one years," he whispered. "They really didn't come back at all after that one time... It's been so hard waiting for them."  
  
Ascot nodded. "That's why we should hold a party. To just have a little bit of fun."  
  
Ferio reluctantly nodded. "I guess so," he said softly. "I guess."  
  
Presea smiled. "Good! I'll go make the list right now. Gotta go! See ya!" And then, she zoomed out of the room with Caldina.  
  
"THAT was a quick exit," Ferio said, blinking.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi looked in the mirror, and twirled around. She smiled. "It feels so nice!" she laughed. Umi changed back to around the age of seventeen, her age after a couple years after their last visit to Cephiro. "It seems that age has something to do with the way we act, huh? I feel so... jumpy again."  
  
Hikaru jumped around in joy, moved to the mirror to look at herself, and smiled as well. She now looked as if she was in her early twenties. "Now, I'll look maybe around Lantis' age! Unless... did he grow?" she asked Presea.  
  
Presea shook her head. "We all look almost the same. Those that did change maybe looks a couple years older, but nothing more."  
  
Fuu walked up to the mirror. She changed to be the youngest in the group, looking around the age of sixteen. "This is around Ferio's age, right?" she asked. Presea nodded.  
  
Kuu walked up to the mirror, and put her hand on it, looking at her new image. She now looked about a year or two older than Fuu, about Umi's new image. "Oh my God..." she whispered. She then turned to Fuu. "You've come to this place? You've never told me the risks you took in this land? And... everything?"  
  
Fuu shifted around a bit. "I'm sorry, Kuu. I didn't mean to..."  
  
Fuu's sister ran up to her, and gave her an emotion hug. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, tears flowing out. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you.. when all of this happened."  
  
Fuu smiled softly. "It's okay," she said. "It's okay. I'm happy that we can be together now. Just like how I promised Ferio."  
  
"Ferio?"  
  
Fuu nodded. "He's the one I love. The reason why I wouldn't marry. He promised that he would wait for me. And from my friend Presea's voice, she has told me that he's kept that word, sister. Do you think you can allow me to be happy with him?"  
  
Fuu's sister smiled. "Yes," she whispered. "I most absolutely can." And then, she hugged Fuu once more.  
  
Umi turned to Caldina. "When's the party?" she asked.  
  
"It'll be held tomorrow night. We need to find a place for you to hide before then," Caldina said. "And... unfortunately, it can't be my room."  
  
"Why not?" Hikaru asked.  
  
"Well..." Caldina dragged.  
  
"Caldina has a daughter now," Presea said loudly.  
  
"HUSH!!!" Caldina shrieked and jumped on Presea.  
  
Umi smiled, and walked up to Caldina. "What's her name?" she asked. "She must be as pretty as you, Caldina."  
  
Caldina smiled back. "Her name is Kani. She looks around how Ascot USED to look. You know, that child-like form."  
  
"When did you and La Farga pledged to be together?" Hikaru asked, still examining herself in the mirror.  
  
"Maybe thirty years ago..." Caldina said. "Around that time."  
  
"It's too bad we couldn't have been there for you," Fuu sighed.  
  
"I really wanted you ALL to be there," Caldina said hastily. "I mean-"  
  
Hikaru shook her head. "It's okay. We understand. Don't worry about it," she smiled. "After all, what matters is that now you two are pledged. That's good enough for us. Right, girls?"  
  
Umi and Fuu nodded. "Yes!"  
  
"Well," Presea said. "You can stay in my room secretly. _Eagle_ and I agreed to wait a lifetime for you guys to return before we pledge. Come on. The guys are downstairs. It's a good idea to sneak up. Then, you can talk with Fuu's sister. Tell her everything and all that. Let's go now."  
  
"Don't you think we should at least tell ONE of the guys?" Umi asked uncertainly. "That way, you'll at least have one of them on your side when it comes to that masquerade banquet thing."  
  
Presea thought about it for a minute. "I think... Yes... I think we should tell Ascot. He seemed to support the idea of the banquet the most from the guys."  
  
Fuu nodded. "Let's get him, then."  
  
"Not us," Umi said, reminding them. "Presea and Caldina will. WE will go stay in Presea's room, and wait for him to come."  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"What's going on? Why suddenly a banquet?" Ferio mumbled.  
  
"I have no clue, but it's best to just listen to them," Clef sighed.  
  
"I think that-" Lantis started.  
  
"Ascot! Ascot!" Presea yelled, running to the men.  
  
Ascot turned around. "Yes? What is it? What-"  
  
Caldina grabbed Ascot by the arm. "We need you for something," she smiled secretly. "You have to come with us."  
  
"Hey!" La Farga cried. "What's HE needed for?!"  
  
Caldina turned around "Nothing that you have to know about. Come on, Ascot."  
  
"Wait!" he tried. "I would like to know what I am doing-"  
  
Presea grabbed his other arm. "Come on, boy! YOU are coming with US!"  
  
"For the love of - Presea! Caldina! I can walk myself, you know!" he yelled as he was being pulled down the hallway.  
  
The rest of the men watched as the two women pulled Ascot away.  
  
"Strange..." Ferio said.  
  
"What is going on?" Lantis asked.  
  
"If we knew, we'd tell you now, wouldn't we?" Clef retorted, which was a very usual thing for him to do.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Ascot stumbled into Presea's room as she pushed him through the opened doors.  
  
"What is the meaning of this, Presea?! I was just talking with-"  
  
Suddenly, his head turned to look at the bed, and his eyes widened.  
  
Umi got off of Presea's bed. She smiled. "Hello, Ascot."  
  
"U... U... UMI!!!" Ascot yelled. "HOW D-"  
  
Presea quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. "Shut UP, Ascot! We don't want the others to KNOW about this! Do you GET that?!"  
  
Ascot turned his eyes to look at Presea, and slowly nodded. Presea then let her hand off of his mouth. "I... I can't believe it... You all are finally here. After that LONG wait, you all are finally here," he whispered. "And that's why..." he said with realization. "That the banquet..."  
  
"Is being held," Umi said. "We're back, Ascot. And to stay."  
  
Ascot smiled at Umi, already remembering something that she had told him all those years ago. "Have you found your loved one yet?" he asked.  
  
Umi nodded. "I have, Ascot. I found him a long time ago. I'm sorry I didn't tell you who it is. I didn't exactly have the time to," she whispered.  
  
Ascot said wryly, "You didn't really have to. I should've seen the way you always looked at him."  
  
Umi shook her head. "You didn't really have to realize it. After all, I didn't realize it myself until a couple days before the last day we stayed here. But I DO love him, Ascot. I love... Clef..."  
  
Ascot sighed. "I'm glad for you, though." Then, he turned his head around, and asked, "I KNOW that one is Fuu... But who is the other lady there?" he asked.  
  
"That's Fuu's sister, Ascot," Hikaru smiled.  
  
"Really? Why, no wonder you two look as if you hold the same beauty."  
  
Kuu stared Ascot, and then, she smiled slightly. "He's polite," she told Fuu.  
  
Fuu nodded. "Ascot is quite courteous."  
  
"So not a word, now, right?" Ascot asked.  
  
Presea nodded. "We needed SOME guy to be on our side about the banquet. Is that okay? To have you argue against them?" she smirked.  
  
Ascot nodded. "Anything to help make this one of the biggest surprise ever. This is going to be great," he laughed.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
"I STILL think something weird is going on..." Ferio continued to mumble. ^_-  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
A couple days later, Presea announced to them...  
  
"It's tonight, ladies. Are you ready for your big entrance?" she asked. "Clef and I were able to get this banquet up pretty quickly."  
  
Umi nodded. "We'll be getting there later than everybody else, huh?"  
  
Presea nodded. "I will come tell you when to walk in. Until then, though, you'll have to be patient."  
  
Fuu smiled. "That's exactly what we've been doing. Don't worry. We'll be fine."  
  
"Everybody's gonna be here, though, right?!" Hikaru asked eagerly. "Everybody from Autozam, Chizeta, Fahren... Everybody?!"  
  
Presea nodded. "YOU girls made the invitation list. I just helped pass the invitations out. They were all invited. They'll come. I told them that there was going to be an enormous surprise for them if the DID come."  
  
"I'm pretty sure that this IS," Umi laughed.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef walked around the ballroom, looking through his mask. This was quite interesting. Quite silly, too. It's not as if no one couldn't identify anybody here. You could recognize them by their hair color. Their body structure... So what was the point of it?  
  
Clef sighed as he walked around some more. This village girl kept following him around... How frustrating it was trying to get away from her. In fact-  
  
"Sir guru!" yelled a voice.  
  
Clef groaned and turned around, putting on the most forced smile you could've ever seen. "Yes, ma'am?" he asked through clenched teeth.  
  
"Might you be willing to dance with me?" she asked. The girl looked around fifteen years old. Why in the WORLD did Presea invite HER here?!  
  
"Um... My apologies, ma'am. But I am feeling quite exhausted tonight. In fact... ASCOT! ASCOT!" Clef yelled, spying the Palu.  
  
Ascot walked up to him, also wearing a mask. "Yes, guru?" he asked.  
  
"This lady wishes for a dance with you. Please enjoy," he said hastily, and left.  
  
You owe me, guru. Ascot had that look on his face. Guru nodded quickly, and ran outta there.  
  
"But guru-" he heard the lady cry.  
  
Clef shook his head in exasperation. Now, if it was a certain OTHER girl, he'd be on his own knees, asking for her to dance with him. But she wasn't... so he didn't.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Presea giggled as she entered her bedroom to where the girls were. She then took off her mask. "You wouldn't believe this!" she laughed.  
  
Umi turned to look at her. She was wearing a blue dress made of silk, with straps to hang on her shoulders. This time, no boots. They were half-inch heels. Blue as well. "What's up, Presea?" she asked.  
  
"The guru," Presea choked. "Is getting chased around by some village girl!" she hollered with laughter. "This is so hilarious! She's SCARING him witless!"  
  
Umi smiled sadly, longing to see Clef. "When will we be going down?" she asked.  
  
Presea looked at her teasingly, and then, her expression turned calm. "Now is the best time," she said softly.  
  
Umi nodded, and hastily put on a glittery blue mask on. Then, she wrapped a see-through aqua color cloth around, also made of silk. "I am ready."  
  
"Are you ready, sis?" Fuu asked. Fuu's dress had short puffy sleeves, not even reaching down half of her upper arms. She wore one inch heels. The dress ended in layers, different shades of green all around. She then put on a mask. "Okay."  
  
"I am ready, Fuu," her sister replied.  
  
"Hikaru?" Umi asked.  
  
"Finishing touches." Hikaru had on a strapless, fiery red dress. Down to her knees, there were slits, showing off her red slippers. She put on a red-colored mask, and smiled. "Let's get ready to make an entrance," she smiled.  
  
"Oh!" Umi said. "I... I have something," she smiled.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Presea entered back into the ballroom. She was holding a small flat, round object with her. A couple minutes later, the music changed drastically. It went from classical, to an instrumental, nature-like sound. The guests were getting a bit confused.  
  
And ten minutes later, Fuu was the first one to enter. Many heads turned to look at her, but none that belonged to her beloved. Her eyes scanned slowly around, looking for her Ferio. She found him standing next to Eagle, engaged in a conversation.  
  
Fuu walked in slowly, and headed straight for Ferio. Once she got about ten paces away from him, his head turned.  
  
Ferio's eyes widened as Fuu curtsied in front of him. "Oh my God..." he whispered.  
  
"How is the banquet, your majesty?" she asked.  
  
Ferio smiled, and held his hand out. "It just got better," he managed to get out. "Will you dance with me... love?"  
  
Fuu took his hand. "I'm yours forever now," she smiled.  
  
Hikaru was the next to enter. Now, more than half of the people in the ballroom were staring at the main entrance. And yet, AGAIN, the one that was supposed to be looking at her, wasn't. Hikaru looked around, searching for Lantis. Then, her eyes stopped as she found him laughing with Ascot.  
  
Hikaru got so excited she totally forgot about a dramatic entrance, and just ran up to him.  
  
"LANTIS!!! LANTIS!!!" she yelled, ripping off her mask.  
  
Lantis' head turned. Ascot looked, and smiled as it seemed as if Lantis' eyes were going to fall out. Lantis took off his own mask and stared at the running Hikaru. "Hi-Hi-Hi-" he managed.  
  
"LANTIS!" Hikaru yelled once more, and jumped into his arms.  
  
"You're back!" he said. "You're back!" Then, he turned to Ascot, and glared at him. "THIS was why Presea and Caldina..." he said.  
  
Ascot shrugged. "I wouldn't know..."  
  
"And the music..."  
  
"Probably Presea," he smiled. "Took Umi's little circular object and somehow got it to work, I guess."  
  
"Let's go, Lantis. Let's dance," she smiled.  
  
Lantis held her face in his hands. "You're finally back," he whispered. And then, he bend down and gave her a slow kiss. Ascot turned away quickly, trying to give them at least a bit of privacy. After the separation, Hikaru smiled.  
  
"I'll be here with you from now on, Lantis."  
  
"I've been waiting to hear that for TOO long."  
  
Ascot turned around when he felt somebody tap his shoulder. It was Fuu's sister. She had walked in quietly. "Um..." she said. "Do you want to dance?'  
  
Ascot smiled, and slowly, he took her to the dance floor.  
  
Clef listened as the music started to change. This... this sounds familiar. He had heard it somewhere before. Some time... a long time ago.  
  
"GURU!"  
  
Clef sighed in frustration. He was again being nagged by the girl once more.  
  
"Why will you not just dance ONCE with me?!" she asked him.  
  
Clef sighed. "I... I... Look, miss, I-"  
  
Suddenly, the girl's attention wasn't at him, but instead, she was looking passed him. Clef turned around to see what this was about.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Umi watched happily as Hikaru and Fuu found Lantis and Ferio. She smiled happily. This was definitely going well. Suddenly, Umi saw a girl walk up to Clef. Umi sighed. Might as well make her entrance now. THAT'LL stop the girl from doing something regrettable.  
  
She slowly walked in, and saw that almost everybody were staring at her, including Fuu and Hikaru, most likely wanting to see how she would handle Clef and that mysterious girl.  
  
Umi took in a breath, and continued walking in.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef ignored the girl, and turned fully around to stare at the girl walking in, her eyes covered by the mask. She was searching through the crowds for somebody. Clef held his breath and his widened as he soon realized who it was. It was too obvious for him to not know. That sleek blue hair. That... that... _everything_.  
  
Then, the girl's head stopped moving when her eyes landed on the mage. And she mouthed one word. _Clef..._  
  
Clef started to unconsciously walk towards her, as the same happened to Umi.  
  
_I've missed you..._ He said.  
  
_I'm finally back._ She thought to him. It didn't have to be said out loud. The looks on their faces said everything.  
  
_You've been gone too long.  
  
I've thought of you every night and day.  
  
When did you come back?  
  
I didn't mean to not tell you.  
  
If we didn't have-  
_  
Suddenly, Clef felt a jerk on his arm, snapping him out of his daze. The girl had pulled on his arm, stopping him in his tracks, and breaking his trance away from his long gone love. "What are you doing?" she asked him harshly.  
  
Clef glared at her. "I should be asking YOU the same question," he retorted.  
  
"You would not even look at me tonight," the girl glared at him. "Not even out of pity. And now, this other lady-"  
  
"NOT just another lady," Umi said out loud to her as she was walking towards them. Just about five yards away now. She then lowered her voice to a soft whisper. "I've loved him for sixty years. And now I'm back. Do you truly want me to stop loving him now? After all this time?"  
  
Clef jerked his arm away from the girl. With a snap of his other arm, the staff disappeared from his grip. And then, ignoring the mere yards, he ran to her. Umi choked, ran up to him as well, and let him gather her into his arms.  
  
"CLEF!" she cried, holding onto him tightly, afraid to let him go. Then, her tears poured out.  
  
"Umi..." he whispered fiercely. "Umi... You've come back! You've come back to me!"  
  
Umi nodded. She smiled through her tears. "I couldn't stop thinking about you, even after I went back... I love you too much," she whispered in a voice soft enough that only Clef could hear.  
  
Clef sighed. The people in the room started to dance now that everything has reached whatever it was supposed to reach. Besides, it was ill-mannered to stare.  
  
"Why that-" the girl growled, about to interrupt them once more. Suddenly, she felt somebody's arm take a hold of hers. She turned around, and gasped.  
  
Presea smiled at her. "I think it's time for you to go," she said, Eagle standing right behind her.  
  
The girl looked at her. "But... but..." she managed.  
  
"Come now," Presea said, dragging her out, and yet, still smiling. "You've ticked off most of us already. INCLUDING me."  
  
"Oh, Presea," Eagle said, a small worried tone in his voice as he followed Presea as she dragged the girl away from Umi and Clef. "Don't BREAK her arm apart. You're knuckles are turning white, you know."  
  
"Oh, love," Presea laughed. "I won't break it off!" she smiled. Then, she muttered, "Not completely, at least."  
  
"Help!" the girl shrieked. "I heard that!"  
  
"Oh, hush up!" she said, exasperated. And their voices continued away from the still hugging couple.  
  
Clef parted from Umi just a bit, holding her at arm's length. "Shall we dance?" he asked, beaming at her.  
  
Umi nodded, and smiled. Then, Clef took Umi's hand, and led her out to the dance floor, where Fuu and Ferio, Lantis and Hikaru, and Ascot and Kuu were already dancing. Umi placed one arm on Clef's shoulder, and let him hold the other one, while he placed one arm on her waist, and they moved to a slow song. They had taken Umi's cd away and started playing their music once more.  
  
Umi sighed as she leaned in to Clef, and closed her eyes.  
  
_=I have so much to tell you.=_ A voice riveted in her head.  
  
Umi opened her eyes and looked up at him. Of course! They were in contact right now. She smiled at him.  
  
_=I also have much to say. Like right now... I've missed you. TOO much, I might add. It's so nice to feel you near me again.=_ she thought to him as she laid her head back down on his chest.  
  
_=How about we go walk around a bit later? After this dance? Away from all these people?=_ he asked as he placed his chin on her head.  
  
Umi smiled slightly. _=I like the thought of that.=_  
  
_=Good.=_ Suddenly, after twenty seconds later, the music ended. Umi looked up at Clef, who was smiling. =We can leave now.= he told her.  
  
_=Clef... did you do that?=_ she asked him.  
  
Clef looked at her, and smiled. Almost... in a mischievous way, too. And then, he took her hands, and led her out of the ballroom as another song started once more.  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*  


  
Clef wrapped his arm around Umi's shoulder as they walked along the gardens, the stars shining brightly above them.  
  
Umi looked up at him. "You're awfully quiet right now," she whispered. "Is something the matter?"  
  
Clef smiled down at her. "You know," he told her softly, "it's so funny. You've finally come back to me, and I have absolutely no clue as to what to say right now."  
  
Umi snuggled up to him as they continued to walk. "It doesn't matter. You don't have to say a thing to me," she whispered. _=Just... I want you to love me forever. Don't let me go.=_  
  
Clef held onto Umi tighter. _=Umi...=_ he said. _=I swear to you that I will do that. I mean, it's because I want to. Because... I don't want to live without you with me...=_ he told her as they continued to walk.  
  
"Oh!" Umi said, and stopped at a batch of flowers, and stared down at them happily. "_Purins_... I missed them," she whispered.  
  
Clef smiled. "I would always come out here and look at these every single day." Then, he made Umi turn to face him. "Umi..." he whispered. "Listen to what I have to say."  
  
"Yes, Clef?"  
  
Clef picked up a _purin_, and placed it in her hair. "I want you to be mine forever, Umi," he finally said.  
  
Umi smiled at him. "What are you trying to say?"  
  
Clef was in deep thought, as if trying to grasp the answer from the air. "How do you say it..." he mumbled. "You know, Umi," he told her feebly. "A promise to be with the one you love forever."  
  
Umi smiled teasingly at him. "You want to marry me, master mage?" she asked.  
  
Clef smiled back. "If it means what it's supposed to mean, then yes." And after those words, Clef snapped his fingers, and they suddenly appeared in his bedroom. Clef left Umi for a minute, and rummaged through some stuff on his desk. Finally, he walked back to her, and held a tiny box to her.  
  
Umi opened it slowly, and gasped as she looked at the ring inside. The oval jewel on the ring was blue, glittering and sparkling, connected to a thin gold band. Clef slowly looked into her eyes as he towered above her. "So Umi..." he whispered. "Will you marry me?" he asked her.  
  
Umi looked at him, and clasped the box shut. She then jumped at him to wrap her arms around his neck. "You didn't even have to ask," she whispered fiercely as tears threatened to start flowing down her cheeks.  
  
Clef slowly kissed her eyes. Umi looked around, and then up at Clef, and smiled. Then, she took his hands, and led Clef to his own bed. They sat there for a minute, while Umi still had the small ring case in her hand.  
  
Clef then took a hold of her, and jerk her closer to him. Then, Clef leaned forward, closed his eyes, and kissed her fiercely, as if from need, leaving Umi in shock. But she quickly recovered and closed her own eyes, and returned the kiss with as much passion as he gave her. Their fingers slowly entwined together, making Umi drop the ring case onto the bed, and she leaned back onto the bed with Clef over her, him sitting at the edge of the bed, their lips still locked together.  
  
Clef opened his eyes slowly, and his lips left Umi's for a minute as he stared down at her. The _purin _was still locked in her hair, showing off her eyes in a gorgeous way. "You've been away from me for too long, Umi," he whispered longingly.  
  
Umi smiled at him. "I'm here, and I'm staying with you forever, Clef," she whispered. "You don't have to wait for me anymore."  
  
Clef sighed, letting his breath out. "I've waited to long to hear you say that. I'll kill myself before I let you leave me again."  
  
"How about instead..." Umi said, looking away, and shifted around to get comfortable under him. She then turned her head back up to look at him, and slowly, she held his face with her hands, smiling happily. "Let me show you how long _I've_ waited for you as well," she whispered, and brought his face down to hers once more.  
  
_It was true..._ Umi thought to herself. _You HAVE to take the good with the bad. You can't enjoy something that's all perfect, because it's impossible to keep for long._ She has learned her lesson, and was ready to take anything else that would ever come her way.  
  
Nothing more to be said, really. They're together. That's all the counts.  
  


=*~*Fin*~*=  


  
_ TA DA!!!!! The END!!! I dunno... It's HARD for me to write romance such as this... T_T Sorry if it was bad!!! BWAHHH!!! But still. Heehee. They kissed. Happy now? YOU BETTER BE!!! ^_^ Thanks for reading, everybody!! I enjoyed writing this, and making you all go through hell waiting each time. *grins evilly* THANKS AGAIN!!!!_


End file.
